Persona 5: Definition of Outcast
by Phantom on Fanfiction
Summary: Outcast... A person who has been rejected by society or a social group, huh? Pathetic. We humans will never understand how to treat other humans. If all of you are really that blind to see... Then I guess I'll just have to capture your heart as well. Or maybe... My heart is the one that needs to be captured.
1. Entry 1: New Day In The City

April, 9th. Saturday.

A young man with unkempt, black hair and rather large, thick black oval glasses jolted up from his seat on the moving train, earning a few absent glances that quickly returned to their original view. The boy felt a heat of embarrassment rush over him, wiping his mouth with the back of his right hand, making sure that he hadn't drooled. With a long sigh, he man rubbed the bridge of his nose in exhaustion, frowning. He had been traveling for at least three days, barely getting a wink of sleep during his trip due to a particular haunting dream that he feared to return to.

The victims petrified pleas, the predators slurred words, screams, police lights breaking the dimmed streets… Images of that incident flashed in the boy's mind, causing him to sigh once again. The housewife sitting next to him subtly scooted away from him, not wanting to catch whatever omen he had. Sadly, the lad noticed this and ran his fingers through his hair, sitting up straight.

The train was fairly empty for a city transportation. But maybe that was simply because it was still spring break, schools officially starting up again on Monday-the day after the next. Of course, there were some schools that started early, proven by the few girls that were wearing uniforms. Being a country bumpkin, the young man had imagined much worse thanks to all of those rumors he heard back home. Thinking back on it caused the boy to rotate his head in discomfort.

Soon, the young man reached his stop and managed to peacefully get off the train. Only one more train ride before he finally reached his location. From there, it was going to be a good five miles worth of walking. Just thinking about the remainder of the trip exhausted him, but also filled him with great relief.

Waiting at the station for his train to arrive, he could hear many women gossiping about similar topics. Glancing over to his left, he could see two girls his age loudly gossiping something about mental breakdowns. The conversation was interesting, sure, and it had certainly peaked his interest; but the boy was simply too tired to genuinely care. Looking ahead at the next station in front of him, dazed, he could see a blurred reflection of himself through the dimmed window. He was wearing a black blazer, unbuttoned to reveal a black-trimmed cream sweater, blue jeans, and brown shoes. He noticed how messy his hair was- well, _messier_ thanks to that earlier hand comb- and couldn't help but sigh. Grabbing the ends of his bangs that just about reached the ridge of his nose, he pinched them, twisting them in slight frustration.

 _I can't make up my mind…Do I wanna cut it shorter or grow it out?_ he thought to himself, making a face. He was always horrible at making decision regarding his appearance. "Should I look clean? Dirty? Expensive? Poor?" Those were the thoughts he always had with himself in the morning, staring blankly at his closet. Back home, he had to keep his hair neat and tidy by using every hair gel he could find. Not a single strand was to be out of place. When he was younger, he wanted to grow his hair, so he would secretly skip his annual haircut. But when his family noticed, it was forcibly cut. He wasn't going to be staying at his family's shop for the upcoming year… Meaning he had more freedom. So it was natural for him to wonder if he should seriously consider growing it out. He certainly liked playing with the ends of it, something longer hair would certainly make easier for him. But the thought of having to actually use a hairdryer and a towel to dry it seemed too exhausting. With a frustrated sigh, he ran both his hands through his hair, messing it up even more, before stuffing his hands into his pockets. It didn't matter and the fear of having to cut it all off once again when he returned home bothered him.

 _For now, I'll just let it do what it wants. If it looks better with longer hair, then I'll let it grow out_ , the boy finally decided. Soon, his train arrived and with reluctant feet, stepped inside. The train was much more crowded than the last one, but was still pretty empty. Setting his bag down on an empty spot, the boy noticed an elderly woman in an electric wheelchair struggle to get on. The boy stared at the woman for a bit, waiting to see if she could manage to get on by herself. But when the announcement came on stating that they were to depart soon, the old woman still struggling with no one coming to her assistance, he grabbed his stuff, allowing a mother and her young child to sit in his stead; and rushed over to the elder woman to help her in. The old woman smiled and thanked him, to which he nodded in reply. He noticed that a number of people were staring at the two, shortly averting their eyes. The boy couldn't help but snort in disgust, crossing his arms over his chest as he stood by the door besides the elderly woman. It was typical adult behavior...

Arriving at his stop, the boy said farewell to the old woman, taking a short break on a bench as he pulled out his phone. He first went to see if he had received any emails or text messages. But, not surprisingly, the results were none. The boy shrugged at the result, expecting as much. He then closed the "LINE" app and pulled up "Navi Maps", bought a melon soda for the road, and made his way to one of the most famous locations in all of Japan: the Shibuya crossing. Much like the rumors he had heard from back home, the place is bustling with people, looking like a sea of faces. It reminded him of that one English poem about being surrounded by a sea of faceless strangers…or something. It had been so long since he read poetry for fun, he had forgotten its name.

Not wanting to get washed away into the abyss, the boy quickly unlocked his phone and began typing in the address of his new residence. As he typed, a strange image appeared at the bottom of the screen. The boy noticed it and stopped typing, raising a brow. A red box with a distorted black eye enlarged on his screen, taking up the middle of the space, causing the boy to blink in surprise. He began poking the screen, looking for a way to close it. Glancing up, he noticed that the crowds of people were circling around him, standing in the middle of the crosswalk. The boy blinked, suddenly noticing something, jolting his head up. The once bustling crossway of Shibuya had slowed, the annoying chatter simmering down as their owners froze in place. He quickly rubbed his eyes, taking a close look at one of the girls in front of him. No doubt, time had frozen still as shown by the mid-air frozen strands of the girl's hair. Feeling his heart pumping in slow rising fear, he started gazing around wildly, a large blue flame suddenly capturing his attention. The boy raised a brow, swallowing as the flame danced freely. The flame soon started to swirl, taking shape. The flame then bursts to life, a low, growling laugh echoing in his ears. Orange fire suddenly sparked to life at the upper part of the blue flame, merging into a smirking expression. The flame starts to push back, as if wind was blowing it back, revealing an amber eyed version of the lad. Startled, the boy took a step backwards, bumping into a man.

"Watch it!" the man barked angrily, causing the boy to blink in surprise. Looking around him, he noticed that time had returned to normal, the streets bustling once again as if nothing had happened. The boy grabbed the sides of his head and blinked slowly, taking in what he had just experienced. Swallowing hard, he looked at his phone with wide eyes.

 _I...I'm more tired than I thought,_ the boy concluded. Looking down at his phone, he saw that the weird app was still there, back to its small icon. With a shudder, he managed to pull the app down and delete it.

* * *

"So let me get this straight" a harsh voice interrupted. A woman with long, gray hair asymmetrically parted on her right side with brown eyes wearing a black business suit with a black turtleneck sat across a familiar young man with her arms crossed over her breasts. "A mysterious app appeared on your phone, which ended up stopping time and you saw blue fire in the middle of the streets?"

The young man sitting across from her had unkempt, shoulder length black hair to which was tied to a low ponytail. He had dark eyes, bruises and cuts visible on his fair-skinned face. The boy and the woman were sitting in a interrogation room, multiple needles scattered throughout the floor. Thanks to certain... _events_ that happened, he found himself here. Of course, he _wouldn't_ have been here if he wasn't so suddenly ambushed by the police. He would have been able to get away with everything just like before. But…

"— _Your friend ratted you out."_

The boy gritted his teeth, closing his eyes. He believes in his friends and comrades, more than anyone else. That's why he didn't say anything about them earlier despite the officer beating him brutally. But, someone _had_ to have exploited the group's plan...

With a frustrated sigh, he gently grabbed both sides of his head and massaged his temple. The ringing from the officers yelling remained as powerful as ever. The beating the lad received from his attempt at silent treatment ended much worse than he had predicted. To try and calm him, they used drugs… not enough to make _all_ of his memories hazy, but there were a few things he was missing… Like the name of woman sitting in front of him.

"It's the truth...You can say it was the 'gate' showing itself to me about that world" the boy mumbled in exhaustion.

"Maybe so…But there's no way I could be convinced of such a…'world' just by reading the reports" the woman admitted, nodding slowly to herself. "It's a little hard to comprehend. Maybe you're remembering things wrong due to the drugs…?" The boy rolled his eyes and rested his chin on the palm of his right hand.

"Listen, you asked me to spill everything. Believe what you will. But everything I am telling you now is the cold truth" the boy mumbled, a little drowsy from the drugs the officers injected. The woman glared at him, not appreciative of his town and attitude. The boy blinked before sighing, lifting his other hand in apology.

"Sorry, sorry… It's just that I've been beaten and drugged by the so-called 'defenders of the people'. It's been horrible, so the least you could do is let me tell you my story," the boy said with tired eyes. The woman stared at the lad for a bit, her eyes jumping from injury to injury present on his face.

"Fine, fine. Continue" the woman sighed, shortly pursing her lips together. The boy nodded in gratitude, remembering the details of that day…

 _To think that opening a simple app like that would wind me up here...The butterfly effect is cruel,_ the boy thought to himself with a snort. Readjusting his seating, he continued telling his story that occurred half a year ago.

* * *

Some walking later, the young man found himself in a residential area scattered with a good amount of people. Looking back and forth between the area and his phone, the boy nodded in approval. It seemed to have everything he could need within walking distance: a clinic, a bath house, several stores, a laundromat, a batting cage, and even a movie theater. The people walking around wasn't too bad either, so it can be concluded that he wouldn't have to worry about too much noise in the morning. The boy looked down at his phone, scratching the back of his head with his free hand.

 _Starting today, a man named Sojiro Sakura will be taking care of me. According to the map, his house should be in the backstreets of this residential area,_ the boy reminded himself. Putting his phone away with a sigh, he began to walk. The boy didn't really pay any heed to the stores or the people walking around him, his eyes jumping from building to building. Approaching an alleyway towards the rear of the neighborhood, he came across a fairly simple looking house all on its lonesome. He walked up the front gate, noticing a nameplate next to the doorbell.

 _The nameplate here says "Sakura." It looks like this might be Sojiro Sakura's house…_ , he noted to himself. Readjusting his bag that hangs from his right shoulder, he rang the doorbell. No answer. Raising a brow, the boy rang the bell once more. Nothing. He soon started to rapidly ring the bell, mixing in some long holds, before returning to his rapid pressing. He was aware that it wasn't the most civilized thing to do, but he didn't necessarily care as he still had to unbox his things that arrived earlier in the week before he could really attempt at getting some well-deserved rest.

"Is Sakura-san not home?" a voice called out. The young man stopped ringing the doorbell and looked over to his right, where a delivery man stood, carrying a box. The boy took a step back and scratched the back of his head.

"...I don't think so" he replied, his voice surprisingly low and raspy for a boy with such a plain face.

"He's not home, huh? I guess I have to deliver this over to Leblanc," the delivery man hummed, looking down at his box. The boy raised a brow at the man.

"Leblanc…?" he repeated.

"Oh, that's Sakura-san's cafe! Should be down the road, near the entrance, in the back alley," the delivery man explained, pulling out a clipboard. He started mumbling to himself, but the lad didn't pay any attention to what he was mumbling about. He felt rather frustrated that no one had told him about Sojiro Sakura's cafe. Ignoring the delivery man, the boy turned around and made his way towards the entrance of the neighborhood. He soon made his way to the back alleys, where he reached a rather old-styled cafe with a red and white blind over the door spelling the words "Coffee & Curry Leblanc". Looking through the window, he could see that it was almost empty. Pushing open the door with shaky hands, he entered the small cafe.

Upon entering, the boy immediately felt at ease, finding the retro atmosphere rather relaxing. The boy didn't walk too far in, stopping a few steps away from the door, taking in the interior. For some reason, not all of the lights were on, leaving the store rather dim with the only source of bright light coming from the television that sat on top of some stacked boxes at the other end of the counter. All kinds of coffee beans were lined and neatly stacked on shelves behind a maple wood counter. On top of the counter were, most notably, a large yellow pay phone, several serving cups, the cash register, and two coffee makers; all of which were evenly spaced, leaving the most space for the barista at the center. In front of the counter were five black wooden chairs with red-orange cushions, the third one occupied with a man with black hair, accompanied with a twisted blackbeard who was lounging on a chair, reading a newspaper. The booths for customers to sit in were old and brown, but seemed rather welcoming and comfortable. The boy couldn't help but nod to himself, thinking that even if he ended up in the wrong place, he could enjoy coming here for some coffee time.

" **A public transit bus was driven down an opposing lane with its customers still in it! The citizens can't live in peace if this keeps up,** " a male newscaster reported on the television, catching the lad's attention. Images of a subway train tipped over on its side, partially covering up the yellow line painted in the station for safety, officers and station attendants helping people out of the train. Most of the pedestrians being dragged out didn't show any _major_ injuries, but almost all of them had cuts on their bodies. The pictures made Akira cringe, feeling empathetic for the victims.

"How frightening," the elderly male customer mumbled.

"What could be going on? Didn't something similar happen just the other day?" the elderly female customer that sat across the elderly man asked. To the boy, they appeared to be husband and wife, the woman wearing stereotypical Japanese housewife clothing and the man wearing an old suit blazer.

"...Oh right. They did say that was today," the man sitting on the chair sighed, his tone suggesting slight annoyance and frustration. Noting it, the boy frowned. As the bearded man stood up, flinging his newspaper to the countertop, the elderly couple stood up as well.

"We'll be going now. The payment is on the table," the elderly man informed, smiling gently.

"Thanks for coming," the bearded man replied, sounding as if it was an instinctive response. It sounded a bit empty to the boy.

"This place is in the back alley, so there's no worries of a car crashing in here," the elderly man sighed with relief, nodding a little to himself.

"A what now?"

"There's been a string of those rampage accidents, you know. I just hope that non happen around here."

"It's none of my concern." The boy couldn't help but raise a brow at the bearded man. It was almost surprising how... _blunt_ the man was with his customers. And an _elderly_ couple at that.

The elderly man didn't seem to be bothered by it though, chuckling as he said, "Haha, we'll see you next time."

The elderly couple then slowly began to make their way to the door. Noticing how slow and slouched over the two were, the boy turned around and held the door open for them.

"What a well-mannered lad! Thank you," the elderly woman thanked, smiling at him. The complement earned a bashful nod from the boy. It had been awhile since anyone had said anything remotely nice to him, after all. Unknown to him, the bearded man was watching. The boy's actions made him quite curious, but acted indifferent when the boy refocused on him.

"So, you're the guy?" the bearded man asked. The boy blinked in surprise, glancing to the door then back at the man. Realizing that he was talking to him, the boy blinked again and readjusted his glasses.

"Oh, uh... I'm Akira Kurusu," the boy introduced. The bearded man nodded, taking note to at least _try_ and remember the name. The room quickly grew quiet as Akira and the man stared at each other. Rubbing the back of his head, Akira approached the man, stopping a good feet away.

"…Um, is Sakura-san here?" he asked softly. The man stared at Akira, noticing the rather shy and awkward air surrounding him.

"...Yeah. I'm Sojiro Sakura. You'll be in my custody for the next year," the man explained, causing Akira to straighten up. Sakura observed him from bottom to top, noticing that the boy had a rather good posture, seeming to be about 5'9. Akira stuffed his hands into his pockets, glancing awkwardly at object to object.

"I was wondered what kind of unruly kid would show up, but you're the one, huh?" Sojiro continued. It seemed almost surprising to him that such a nervous kid would have to live with him under his _strange_ circumstances. "Have you been told? A customer of mine and your parents know each other and-Well, not that it matters…"

 _So basically, they stuck me with some stranger...Makes sense, I guess_ , Akira thought to himself, nodding subtly. With all the trouble he had caused back home, it was no surprise that his father would choose a _stranger_ to watch over him. Sojiro waved a hand over at Akira, motioning for him to follow, and led him up some stairs into some kind of attic. It was beyond cluttered and everything was in disarray with at least an inch of dust covering it. If there was more dust on the floor, it would have almost looked like snow. Especially with the particles floating mindlessly in the air.

"This is your room" Sojiro said simply, looking over everything to make sure nothing of great importance to the cafe was sticking out. Once he was sure there was nothing, he looked over at Akira, noticing the look of surprise and somewhat disappointment on his face. "I'll at least give you sheets for your bed."

 _...Alotta dust. Not gonna help me with my condition_ , Akira thought to himself, stifling a cough.

Noticing that, Sojiro raised a brow. "...Hm? You look like you wanna say something."

"Oh, uh, no I…" Akira stammered, surprised. He couldn't tell him that he had a medical condition and request to be sent to another room. It would be asking for too much and possibly even cause trouble. "Thank you for all this. It's…big."

"It's on you to clean up the clutter," Sojiro pointed out with a bored tone, hiding the fact that he was surprised to be thanked. "I'll be leaving after I lock up each day. You'll be alone at night, but don't do anything stupid. I'll throw you out if you cause trouble." He nodded obediently, finding the terms a bit... _harsh,_ but understandable. He never planned on starting anything remotely related to trouble, but he drew his lines fast.

"Now then...I got the gist of your situation," Sojiro began, placing a hand on his hip. Akira cringed, glancing away. He didn't like hearing the _police version_ of his story again… "You protected some woman from a man forcing himself on her, he got injured, then sued you. Right?"

Akira nodded slowly, his shoulders noticeably tensing. Sojiro scoffed, scowling at the lad. "That's what you get for sticking your nose in a matter between two adults. You did injure him, yeah?" Akira glanced away, a certain pain and anger welling up in his eyes.

Sojiro paused, knowing exactly what Akira was thinking. He had seen the look before, in many kids that did the same thing. 'I just wanted to help. It's not fair' is what Sojiro assumed Akira was thinking. He felt a bit of empathy for the kid, but at the same time, it was Akira's own fault.

"...And now that you've got a criminal record, you were expelled from your high school," Sojiro continued. "The courts ordered you to transfer and move out here, which your parents also approved. In other words, they got rid of you for being a _pain in the ass_."

Akira sighed and nodded causing Sojiro to blink in surprise. He wasn't expecting the kid to be so...straightforward in what could be basically labeled as "harassment". Sojiro began to wonder then if the kid came from a good home… But the thought quickly went away as it was not his business.

"It's best you not talk about anything unnecessary. I am in the restaurant business, you know," Sojiro warned. "Behave yourself for the year. If nothing happens, your probation will be lifted." Akira blinked and looked up at Sojiro with a blank expression. It was easy to tell though that Akira was unfamiliar with the word "probation".

"Really now? It's the words that applies to you," Sojiro explained with a sigh, rubbing the back of his head. "Your sentence lasts until next spring, right? That's why you're gonna be here for the coming year. Cause any problems, and you'll be sent straight to juvie." Akira flinched, a subtle gasp escaping him. He looked down, a determined and frightened look etched into his eyes. If he went to juvie, that meant that he couldn't go home...Which means he couldn't take care of his mother.

"We'll be going to Shujin tomorrow," Sojiro sighed, glancing at the room once more. It was getting a bit difficult to breathe in there, thanks to all that dust.

"...Shujin?" Akira repeated, looking back up. Sojiro was rather surprised how quiet the kid was. He was expecting a troublemaking kid with a criminal record to be snapping his tongue like a dog without a leash. But the one he got was rather obedient and didn't even whimper when kicked.

"Shujin Academy—the school you'll be attending. We'll introduce ourselves properly to the staff there. There's rarely a place that'll accept someone like you, you know," Sojiro explained, crossing his arms. He sighed and turned his head, mumbling "What a waste of my Sunday...". He was trying to spare Akira the pain of feeling unwanted, but sadly he wasn't quiet enough. Akira looked down at his feet, guilt gathering within him. He didn't want to be a bother for Sojiro, and in all honesty, living by himself in an apartment would be much better than this _dump_ of a room. But living by himself would have created a lot of stress and anxiety…So Akira was, in a way, thankful to Sojiro for taking him in when he could have said no.

Not noticing Akira's sadness, Sojiro turned and jabbed his thumb at a large cardboard box that sat in the center of the room. "Your 'luggage' arrived earlier; I left them over there." Sojiro faced Akira, who nodded in thanks, before walking down the stairs to tend to his cafe. Now that he was alone, Akira relaxed a bit. He sighed, shortly cutting off as he began to cough thanks to the dust. Covering his mouth with his elbow, Akira made his way to the windows, pushing them fully open for some fresh air. It wasn't quite as fresh as the air back home, but it was better than the dust-dominated area he was confined in. Taking a few deep breaths to ease himself, he covered his mouth once again and headed for his luggage, kicking it open.

Akira crouched down and carefully began to dig through the box for anything to cover his mouth. He then pulled out his mother's handkerchief. To the right, lower corner of it, there was a Filipino flag embroidered on. Akira smiled as he grazed his thumb over it, feeling each individual stitch. It was a good luck charm in some way for him. Folding the handkerchief, he stuffed it into his back pocket and pulled out a maroon bandana form the box. Akira quickly tied the bandana around his face, the cloth covering his nose and mouth, before standing up with a look of determination and new energy in his eyes. He was beyond exhausted sure, but he knew that if he didn't clean, his _lola_ would roll over in her grave. Just like she always said: _Hangga't makitid ang kumot, matutong mamaluktot._ "While the blanket is short, learn how to bend."

He decided to start with the windows, since it would be the most important part of the entire room. Making sure not to shake the lightly dusted bed that acted as a border between him and the windows, he dusted down the glass until the sunlight would stream through, shining on the dust particles that still remained inside. The floor was next. As soon as he got a bucket of water from downstairs, somehow managing not to grab Sojiro's attention, he busied herself with mopping up the aging wooden floor. He then slid the box of his belongings into the nearby shelf that was barely offering any space, then went off to make his bed with the sheets Sojiro provided. He then continued tidying up the room, making sure not to damage any of the houseware appliances as it could be proven useful in the future.

With a loud sigh, Akira plopped to the floor, his legs giving out on him. Pulling out his cellphone, he saw on the screen that it was 7 pm. Looking around the room, he noticed how much cleaner it was now. Not a speck of dust in sight.

"What the? I heard you making all sorts of noise up here but I didn't think you were cleaning," a voice hummed, causing Akira to tense. Sojiro walked up the stairs to the attic, his eyes wide with surprise. He certainly wasn't expecting a kid like Akira to be cleaning. If anything, he thought that the kid was throwing a temper tantrum and breaking stuff.

Looking around the new, clean room, Sojiro smiled a little. "Actually, the place doesn't look too bad." Akira smiled, blushing a little. It was nice to have someone praise him for his hard work. He nodded shyly in thanks.

"Why don't you go to bed for tonight? You don't have anything better to be doing, right?" Sojiro suggested, his smile vanishing. "I'm going to close up shop and get out of here myself."

"Uh...sure, okay," Akira responded, slowly standing up.

"I won't be the one looking after you if you get sick from staying up too late, you got that?" Sojiro pointed out with narrowed eyes, showing the seriousness behind his words. Akira nodded, a little disappointed, but knew that Sojiro had his own life and couldn't afford to look after him. Sojiro nodded back and turned around, descending down the stairs and then walked out the door. Since Akira didn't have anything better to do, like Sojiro said, he decided to might as well hit the sack.

Going through his belongings once more, he pulled out his favorite pajamas. A long-sleeved black shirt and baby blue shorts. Once dressed, he turned off the lights and plopped down on his new bed, exhaustion quickly seeping its way through his body. Despite it though, his thoughts were still wide awake, rewinding what had happened today.

 _Arrest…Trial…Criminal record…_ Akira thought to himself, staring up at the dark ceiling. A man's voice shouted at Akira, drunken rage filled within it. The sensation of the man's intense gaze still lingered.

 _Still, I couldn't just let that go...She was asking for my help!_ Akira reminded himself as he closed his eyes, finally allowing the memory he had been keeping suppressed to play.


	2. Entry 2: What A Pain

That day, in the middle of summer vacation, Akira had to return home early from summer school. He attended night classes since he worked part-time at his family's shop. The feeling of his large, blue-and-white baseball tee with the numbers '1797' in the front swaying with each step he took, the heat his black sweats contained, and the tickling sensation of the rocky road passing through his black sandals to his feet all still lingered; as if it were only yesterday. He remembered the dread he felt with each absent step he took, wishing he could have stayed in class just a little bit longer. He didn't like attending class, but it was better than being at home where his father awaited him. Then, clear as day, he heard the voice of a man.

"Just get in the car!" the voice barked, a familiar grumpiness about it startling Akira. Looking up from the ground, he stopped. Up ahead, still a little ways from where he was standing, he could see two shadows moving back and forth. Akira could hear the sound of resistant and building frustration coming from two different people, but it didn't sound too alarming.

Just before Akira could brush aside the voice he heard, claiming it to be just his imagination, he heard a woman cry out, "Stop it!"

Akira started to make his way up the hill, the voices becoming clearer and louder with each step. The shadows soon formed into a tall, bald man and a rather busty woman wrestling with one another. Akira's eyes widened, recognizing the situation immediately as a drunk man forcing himself onto a woman.

"No…!" the woman whimpered.

"Don't give me that shit..." the man growled.

"Ow! P-Please, stop…!"

 _That woman's in danger…!_ Akira thought to himself, anger building within himself. Stepping close to the two, his anger soon blocked out all the noise, his surroundings turning black. It was a case of his classic tunnel vision. Akira stopped right behind the man, the shine on the bald man's head reflecting Akira's piercing, dark eyes. Feeling soft, hot wind puffing occasionally on his neck, the bald man turned around. Due to their close distance, Akira could see the man had a small, black goatee with a pair of orange-tinted square glasses covering his eyes.

"...What're you looking at? Get outta my face! This ain't a show. Get lost, kid" the man growled, the smell of sake seeping out with each word. He turned to the woman and raised his hand. "See? This is all because you're so damn slow! Get in the car!"

The man turning back to shove the woman into the car, she looked dead into Akira eyes and cried out, "H-Help me!"

That did it.

Akira's hands tightened, rolling up into tight fists. Without thinking, he grabbed the man's shoulder and pulled the man off the woman. Startled and drunk, the man stumbled back and smashed his face into the railing of the sidewalk, causing blood to squirt. Akira blinked, his vision returning to normal. Realizing what he had done, he looked down at his hands in surprise. The woman behind him whimpered, covering her chest that was starting to show as a result from the earlier struggle, as the bald man sat up. Covering his face with his hand, the man glared at Akira with such intensity it caused him to shiver.

"Damn brat, I'll sue!" the man barked, staggering back up to his feet. Shocked to hear such a thing, Akira's mind went blank. Soon, the police arrived. After some exchanges between the man, the woman, and the officers; the policemen grabbed Akira's arms. He remembered staring in shock at the woman, thoughts going through his head.

Akira's eyes snapped open, anger giving him new energy. The anger quickly subsided however as he let out a sigh, massaging his face. It had been a long day—a long _trip_ —so the last thing he needed was to get worked up what happened in the past. It sucked, sure, and the events that occurred when he returned home was horrible...But it's a waste of time. Akira suddenly heard beeping coming from his phone. Sitting up, he pulled it off the charger and unlocked it. Much to his surprise, it was that strange app from before. It returned.

 _I thought I had deleted it…_ Akira wondered, raising a brow. Without a second thought, he dragged the icon to the trash once again. Connecting his phone back to the charger, he plopped back down on his back. His eyelids didn't stand a chance, quickly closing as his conscious faded.

* * *

 _Click clack. Click clack. Click clack._

Akira's eyes snapped open, the sound of rattling chains waking him. He groaned as he sat up, his back aching for some reason. He wasn't in Sojiro's attic. It was too dark and he DEFINITELY didn't give him a cot to sleep on. Grabbing his head, he blinked slowly to focus his vision. But as he did so, he noticed shackles around his wrists which clanked noisily. Looking down at his body, he realized that he was wearing a black and white striped uniform befitting that of a prisoner. Swallowing, he nervously began to fumble about, when he suddenly stopped- the sound of footsteps catching his attention. Looking to his left, he saw a cell door with crossing chains keeping him in his "cell", two similar looking girls—twins possibly—standing on the ends of the door. They had platinum blonde hair—one styled in twin buns, the other in some braided ponytail—and rather menacing yellow eyes and ghastly sick pale skin. The twins both wore black eye patches with the letter "V" over one of their eyes and a blue prison guard outfit with a brassard on their left arm, matching black ties.

Akira blinked in surprise, sweat starting to sweat down his jaw. Standing up, he tried to approach them when he heard the shaking of chains. Looking down at his feet, he noticed that he had shackles attached to his ankles as well, the chain connected to a large, steel ball. Akira faced the twins in a panic, cautiously approaching the door.

"H-Hey, where am…?!" Akira began, his voice shaking. The twin girls took two steps to the side, standing side by side. For some reason, this caused Akira to shiver and slowly look up. There, he noticed it wasn't just himself and the twins. There was a man with an absurdly long nose—grinning an inhuman smile—sitting down at a desk in the center of the room. Past the man, he could see a similar cell like his, but it seemed as if it was filled with presents wrapped in pink wrapping paper.

"Trickster, welcome to my Velvet Room" the man welcome, stretching out a hand, his voice low and growly. Akira snapped his attention to the man, his eyes widening. Swallowing, he grabbed hold of the cell bars. Feeling nothing but a hard substance caused Akira to shiver and shake the bars violently.

"So you've come to, Inmate," one of the twins sneered, causing him to halt.

"The you in reality is currently fast asleep. You are only experiencing this as a dream," the other twin explained calmly. Akira blinked in surprise, gradually calming down. It would explain why the shackles around his wrists and ankles didn't really weigh him down. And the fact that the cell bars weren't cold. The angry twin glared him down.

"You're in the presence of our master. Stand up straight!" she barked. Akira quickly straightened himself in obedience. He never knew children could be so frightening. It seemed their "master" was the strange man in the center of the room.

"Welcome. I am delighted to make your acquaintance" the strange man greeted, a chill running down his spine. Perhaps if he didn't look so creepy that welcome would be more reassuring. "This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a room only those who are bound by a contract may enter." Akira raised a brow, not recalling signing any sort of contract…

"I am Igor, the master of this place. Remember it well" the man continued, ignoring the confusion etched on Akira's face. "I summoned you here to speak of important matters. It involves your life as well." Akira flinched and glared at Igor, becoming rather defensive.

"Let me out!" he demanded, banging angrily on the bars. The angry twin quickly slammed her nightstick against the bars, barely missing Akira's fingers. Akira took a step back with a yelp, nearly tripping over his feet.

"Know your place, inmate! Who do you think you're talking to!?" she barked. Akira grabbed hold of his hands, making a mental note to start calming down- else this small girl may chop off his limbs.

"Still, this is a surprise..." Igor mused, looking around the prison. "The state of this room reflects the state of your own heart. To think a prison would appear as such. I am most curious about _that_ room as well..." Akira looked up, noticing that Igor was staring at the cell behind him- the one with the presents.

After a moment, Igor turned around and smirked at him, humming "You truly are a 'prisoner' of fate." Akira calmly took a deep breath and cautiously grab hold of the bars once again. "In the near future, there is no mistake that ruin awaits you."

"Ruin...?" Akira asked in a calm, yet still trembling, voice. It pleased Igor that Akira had managed to calm himself.

"Haha, worry not. There is a means to oppose such a fate," Igor chuckled. "You must be rehabilitated. Rehabilitated toward freedom…That is your only means to avoid ruin... Do you have the resolve to challenge the distortion of the world?"

Akira blinked in surprise, interest peaking him. "'Distortion of the world,' huh...? He would be lying if he were to say he wasn't. Humans to him are such disgusting creatures… Looking down, he nodded. If anything, he wanted to avoid ruin. Igor rested his chin on the palm of his hands, his smile widening.

"Allow me to observe the path of your rehabilitation," Igor mused, sounding almost a tad...excited. The twins nodded at each other and stepped out of their stationary positions, standing before Akira. They seemed to be waiting for something.

"Ah, pardon me for not introducing the others," Igor began, dropping his left hand to the desk, tapping his fingers. "To your right is Caroline; to your left, Justine. They serve as wardens here." Caroline, the one with the twin buns, sneered at Akira once more.

"Hmph, try and struggle as hard as you like," she snapped.

"The duty of wardens is to protect inmates. We are also your collaborators" Justine added. "...That is, if you remain obedient." Akira nodded slowly, wanting to be on the girl's good side.

"I shall explain the roles of these two at another occasion" Igor said, cutting in. The girls looked at each other before turning around to face Igor. "Now then, it seems the night is almost waning...It is almost time. Take your time to slowly come to understand this place. We will surely meet again, eventually..."

With a flick of the wrist from Igor, a bell suddenly began to ring, echoing within the empty prison. Akira took a step back, looking around in surprise.

"Time's up," Caroline huffed, turning around to face Akira. "Now hurry up and go back to sleep." Akira grabbed the bars, still having some questions to ask. But he suddenly began to feel his legs giving out from under him, his eyelids quickly shutting. Without even a chance to fight, Akira lost conscious once again, the world fading black.

* * *

April, 10th. Sunday.

Akira sat on his bed, dazed, his clothes twisted which told him he had been turning in his sleep. It was rather early in the morning, his phone reading 4:45 am.

 _...I had a strange dream_ , Akira thought. _Ruin… Rehabilitation...What does it mean?_

Akira sighed and ran his hands through his hair. Grabbing his glasses, he put them on and stood up with a yawn. Opening up his box, he quickly pulled out a plastic-wrapped uniform. It was his new one for Shujin Academy. He never wore a blazer uniform before… At his old high school and middle school, he was given the usual, stiff gakuran. It was going to feel strange to be so...free with his uniform. But he was rather looking forward to it. Without delay, Akira went downstairs and searched for a bathroom. Within minutes, he found one at the back and did his business.

Once dressed—his face washed, and his teeth brushed—Akira stared at himself in the mirror. The uniform consisted of a red-buttoned black blazer with Shujin's emblem on the pocket, a white turtleneck shirt with black hearts to which his mother had sewn, and red plaid trousers. The uniform was overall stylish and neat.

Now the question is...what to do with his hair. Akira began to comb his hair, the strands kindly going with the flow instead of fighting. Now neatly combed, he looked much neater than earlier. However...he looked like an emo depicted in manga, his bangs fairly covering his eyes. Akira made a face, the tidiness of his hair reminding him of his family's shop. Frustrated, Akira ruffled his hair wildly, returning it to its unkempt appearance. Akira smirked, finding this much better. It was wild enough to make him appear almost attractive but tamed enough to make him seem like an ordinary boy. The perfect combination for him. Akira walked back upstairs and grabbed his wallet and his cell phone, thinking that it would be all that he needed for today.

"Looks like you're up," a familiar voice pointed out. Shoving his things into his pockets, he looked over his shoulder, Sojiro dressed up in a pale pink dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, pale khakis held up with a white leather belt, and white loafers. He was also wearing white trilby with a red-white-and-blue striped hat band that really completed the outfit. Although, it didn't necessarily mean to look good on _him_.

"Good morning," Akira greeted politely. Sojiro nodded in reply, placing a hand on his hip.

"Well then, let's go introduce ourselves properly to the staff about your transfer," Sojiro began. "The school you're attending is in the Aoyama district. It'll cost you a bit to ride the train there, and the route transfers are a pain. I'll drive you for today only. You'll take the train starting tomorrow." Akira nodded and the two began to make their way downstairs. He heard Sojiro grumble about how he didn't usually allow men to sit in his passenger seat, causing him to look down at his feet. When they entered the car, Akira mainly fiddled with his handkerchief in his pocket. It made the ride much shorter, and before he knew it, they had arrived.

Stepping out of the car, Akira felt rather… disappointed at how plain looking the school was. He wasn't expecting much to begin with, but a part of him wished that his school- being that an "academy"- looked at least half as good as the academy's in anime and manga. But sadly, it was just your typical school.

"Do yourself a favor and behave yourself, all right?" Sojiro began as the two walked towards the entrance. "Don't get me wrong—I don't care what happens to you. Just don't cause _me_ any troubles." Akira nodded, letting out a sigh. He didn't want to cause any trouble for himself either. He had to return home at the end of the year… He promised.

Entering the building, they were immediately greeted by a teacher to whom guided the two to the principal's office on the second floor. On their way there, Akira looked around, the disappointment in his gut growing. Even the inside of the academy was the same as any normal school. City schools look almost the same as countryside schools—minus the subways. Akira sighed quietly and stuffed his hands into his pockets, wanting to go home. The three of them entered a room to which the teacher knocked on the door, a voice granting them permission to enter. The teacher opened the door for him, revealing a very overweight and bald man wearing a tight, beige suit, a white undershirt, and a red bow tie. Beside him was a young, slender woman with dark, unkempt hair and brown, tired eyes. She looked as if she didn't want to be there.

"You must be Akira Kurusu," the large man began, waving him and Sojiro closer to his desk, to which they obliged. "I am the principal of Shujin Academy. You may call me Principal Kobayakawa." Akira bowed to him, mumbling a word of thanks for allowing him there. Sojiro then introduced himself and the two men began exchanging words. Akira didn't pay them any mind, looking around the office. His eyes quickly met with the woman standing next to Kobayakawa, a hint of pity present in her dark brown orbs. He shrugged subtly at her as a way to say that he was fine and he accepts full responsibilities of his actions. The woman averted her eyes, causing Akira to blink, feeling somewhat hurt. He glanced down and rubbed the back of his head. Now he _really_ wanted to go home.

"To reiterate, just so we're clear," Kobayakawa began, catching Akira's attention. Sojiro was signing some paperwork as Akira and Kobayakawa locked eyes. "You will be immediately be expelled if you cause any problems. Honestly, I hesitated on accepting someone like you, but there were some circumstances on our side..." Akira nodded in understanding. Noticing the paperworks, he recognized the basic information sheet he filled out himself.

 _Now's the time to ask, I guess_ , Akira thought. Shyly raising his hand, he took a step forward.

"Principal Kobayakawa, if I may..." he began, earning raised brows and confused looks from the adults. "On the informational sheet, I had written down that-"

Akira suddenly stopped, his eyes widening as his mouth closed shut. Kobayakawa had began to tap his left pinky against the desk in a steady and rhythmic matter. Glancing up at Kobayakawa's face, Akira saw a rather menacing look in the porky principal's eyes, despite his rather relaxed face. Shivering, Akira looked down and took two steps back. Sojiro couldn't help but shoot a glance over at him, curiosity brewing.

"...Nevermind," Akira mumbled. Kobayakawa shook his head, his eyebrows furrowing. He wasn't too pleased to be so _passively_ interrupted. Men like Akira, "Sōshoku(kei) danshi" or "Herbivores" as the internet called them, truly agitated him.

"As I was saying… You might have done a variety of things in hiding in your hometown, but you will behave yourself here," Kobayakawa continued. "If you are thrown out of our school, there will be no place for you to go. Keep that in mind." Akira nodded slowly, his head still low. Paying the lad no mind, Kobayakawa looked over at the young woman to his left, who had been staring at Akira in confusion.

"This is the teacher in charge of your class," Kobayakawa introduced, causing the woman to blink.

"I'm Sadayo Kawakami," she introduced, causing Akira to glance up at her. Kawakami couldn't help but feel a slight pluck in her heart, the boy's rather frightened eyes earning pity points. Shaking it aside though, she placed down a small blue notebook and plastic card that had Akira's basic information on it. A picture, name, ID number, gender, and school year. This caught Akira's attention, drawing his eyes hesitantly back down to Kobayakawa's desk.

"Here's your student I.D and the student handbook," she said simply, sliding the items across the table. Akira picked them up, finding the simple design of the card rather charming, before promptly putting it in his pocket. "Be sure to read the school rules. Any violations will send you straight to the guidance office. And, if by chance you cause any problems, I won't be able to protect you at all...That _is_ your promise, yes, Principal Kobayakawa?"

"He is responsible for all his actions," Kobayakawa agreed with a nod. Akira also nodded, although no one except for Sojiro noticed, so it was mostly for himself. The two teachers started to whisper to one another, Akira (and Sojiro) sadly being able to hear bit and pieces of their conversation. To summarize, Kawakami got the short end of the stick due to his sudden transfer to which she complained about. Akira rubbed the back of his head and turned around, not wanting to hear the conversation. Sojiro frowned as he glanced at Akira. Sure the lad had a criminal record and assaulted someone, but he clearly didn't seem to be violent. It was clear to Sojiro, and _should_ have been clear to the others, that he was much politer and awkward than normal rebellious teenagers in this day and age. It pissed and drained Sojiro that the school wasn't giving Akira the time of day. This was a school for crying out loud— their whole mojo is to educate and discipline young people to have them be contributing members of society!

"If you're done explaining things, mind if we get going? I got a store to get back to," Sojiro said impatiently. Part of him also wanted to leave so that the poor kid could get out of there.

"Sakura-san, please keep a close eye on him," Principal Kobayakawa replied in a serious manner. " _Don't_ let him cause any trouble outside..."

"Well, I'll be sure to have a serious talk about the situation he's in," Sakura said absentmindedly, finding the idea to be too much of a hassle. Akira looked at Sojiro then turned back around, bowing politely to Kawakami.

"...Come to the faculty office when you arrive at school tomorrow. I'll show you to your classroom," Kawakami instructed with a sigh. Akira nodded, he and Sojiro walking out of the room. As soon as they escaped the school, Sojiro heaved out a large sigh while scratching the back of his neck.

"They're treating you like some kinda nuisance…" he grumbled.

"Yeah...sorry," Akira mumbled, dejectedly.

"I guess that's what it means to have a criminal record," Sojiro continued. Looking over at Akira, he noticed how small the poor thing looked. Yesterday, Akira looked like your average boy with an average teenager build. But now, the poor kid looked so small, his head low and his shoulders slumped. "...Turns out your past follows you wherever your go."

Akira nodded, understanding that. His teachers probably already know about his criminal record. One of them opens their mouth that even suggests it and the whole school will have some new, juicy gossip to talk about. The thought of that happening saddened Akira; the thought of being isolated causing him to shiver. Noticing this, Sojiro decided to keep his mouth shut. He _was_ going to give him the usual spiel about how if he caused any problems, he wouldn't hesitate to toss him out. But with how small and frail he currently looked, he couldn't bring himself to say it.

"Come on, we're going home," Sojiro huffed, smacking Akira hard on the back. Akira coughed in surprise, looking up at Sojiro. Sojiro motioned Akira to follow him, walking towards the car. Akira blinked several times in confusion, unconsciously following closely behind.

"Don't let them get to you. Keep your head up like a _real_ man," Sojiro muttered, not facing Akira. Akira blinked in surprise, not expecting words of… _encouragement_ to escape Sojiro's lips. Smiling bashfully, he rubbed the back of his head and walked straight, just like yesterday. The two got inside the car and drove their way back to Leblanc in silence. During the ride back, Akira once again fiddled with his mother's handkerchief while reading the student handbook. As expected of an academy, there was quite a lot of rules; 25 pages worth in fact! It didn't help Akira relax to see over half of the rules with such heavy punishments. But, on a positive note, it meant that the school was well-disciplined to say the least...maybe.

"Traffic's not moving at all..." Sojiro suddenly growled, causing Akira to jolt and look up. Much to his surprise, the sun was almost setting and the car had stopped completely due to the massive amount of traffic in front of them. Akira couldn't help but mutter in awe, never seeing so many cars lined up before. It was rather cute and childish coming from a teenage boy, but it really made it obvious that he was a country boy.

"You're taking the train, starting tomorrow!" Sojiro barked, slamming the horn in frustration.

"Y-Yeas, sir!" Akira replied instantly, jolting once again, his voice suddenly getting an accent. Sojiro groaned in reply, smacking his wheel like an impatient child. Akira couldn't help but crack a grin, finding it funny how both he and Sojiro tend to smack—or in Akira's case, _poke_ —things rapidly in frustration. But that smile soon vanished as Akira looked down at his hands, fiddling with his handkerchief once more.

"…Sorry for inconveniencing you further like this..." he muttered, apologetically. Sojiro clicked his tongue in reply, starting to find the kid annoying. Mainly because Sojiro knew that he was acting childish and Akira was being so mature.

"...So how was it? The school, I mean. Think you can manage?" Sojiro asked, calming himself as he decided to talk with the kid to pass the time. Akira glanced at the student handbook then over at Sojiro.

"Uh...Well, it'll be tough, but I'm sure I'll be fine," he replied awkwardly but reassuringly. Sojiro tapped his pointer finger rhythmically against the steering reel, sighing in frustration. It was _really_ hard to think that such a polite and awkward kid somehow managed to _assault_ someone and get it on their record.

"Still, you were expelled once already. To think you'd re-enroll at a different one" Sojiro sighed, not wanting Akira's awkwardness to stop conversation. "It's not like anyone will be sympathetic with you." Akira nodded knowingly in reply. Sojiro glanced over at him before sighing once again, mumbling something to himself. All Akira heard was: "What a troublesome kid I've taken in..."

Curious, Akira closed his student handbook and looked at him. "...Why did you take me in?" Sojiro's finger's stopped.

"I was asked to do it, and I just...happened to agree to do it," he began. "I've already been paid for it too, after all."

"I see..." Akira replied, sounding a little bit depressed. The car went silent, the engine purring softly as they continued to wait in the non-moving traffic. Having nothing to say, Sojiro turned on the radio, not caring about the station.

" **Again, a subway has derailed at Shibuya Station, greatly affecting the timetable across the-** " the radio began, shortly being cut off by Sojiro lowering the volume significantly.

"...Another accident?" Sojiro mumbled, looking up at the traffic. "So that's why it's so crowded. There's been a lot of those lately."

Akira remained quiet for a moment, causing Sojiro to become irritated, when he heard a soft whisper: "...what a pain."

"Hm?" Sojiro hummed. Akira readjusted his glasses, looking panicked as he faced Sojiro.

"N-nothing…! I-I was just-" Akira began, his words abruptly stopping. No one has ever heard Akira mutter that before… So for Sojiro to have heard him meant to him that an adult figure was interested in what he had to say. Looking down shyly, Akira decided to continue. "...I just think it's a pain. Accidents, I mean."

"People get hurt in them, you know," Sojiro pointed out. Akira rolled his eyes and waved his hand dismissively.

"Yeah, yeah," Akira replied back with a somewhat snarky tone, causing Sojiro to blink in surprise. That was the first time since yesterday did Akira actually sound like a genuine guy. A respectable one at the very least. "...But it makes you realize how small and... _disgusting_ people are as individuals. It's only until a number of victims are involved that others start paying attention." Akira recalled how no one helped that elderly woman get on the train, the thought of what could have happened to her if he didn't help flooding his mind… The list of scenarios could go on and on, the worst one being that of death and child trauma.

"That's surprising, coming from a kid," Sojiro admitted, rather pleased to have heard Akira say more than one sentence. He then blinked, realizing something, and then cautiously looked over. "Don't tell me you're into philosophy..."

"Uh...not really," Akira replied, his awkward demeanor slowly returning. "I've read...a lot of poems back home when I was younger. Lots of American ones translated to Japanese."

"Oh, so you're more an arts kid?" Sojiro asked, wanting to keep the conversation going.

"I guess..." Akira replied simply, opening his student handbook again, promptly ending the conversation. Sojiro stared in hidden awe before looking up at the traffic. It was slowly starting to move again, thankfully.

By the time the two gentlemen reached the cafe, it was already dark, much to Akira's surprise. During the ride over, Akira managed to finish the student handbook, to which he decided to take a little nap. He was far too tired than he gave himself credit for, falling asleep almost immediately after his head touched the window. Shaken—rather violently—awake by Sojiro, the two hopped out and entered Leblanc. It was surprising for Akira to notice that it was already late into the evening. The traffic must have been hectic.

"Damn, to think there'd be _that_ much traffic…What a waste of time," Sojiro complained. "I wasn't able to open the cafe today." Akira pinched and twisted the ends of his bangs, muttering an apology. If it weren't for him, Sojiro wouldn't have to waste an entire day just driving to a school, witness two other adults demean and threaten a child, only to drive back home into horrible traffic. This day was just exhausting for the two of them…

"...Whatever" Sojiro replied, feeling annoyed once again. Pulling out a black notebook, he tossed it over to Akira, hitting him on the head. Startled, Akira quickly scrambled to grab it, somehow managing to grab it with both hands waist down.

"It's a diary. Make sure to write in it," Sojiro explained before Akira could even ask.

"Diary…?" Akira repeated, his eyes sparkling for some reason despite his confused expression. "Wouldn't it be called a journal…?"

"It's a whatever—something you just have to write in" Sojiro replied, uninterested in having such a meaningless conversation. "You may be under probation, but there's no special limitations on what you do in particular. Besides following the law, that is." Sojiro paused, staring at Akira who was staring fixedly at the notebook. With a smack across the head, a yelp from Akira, he continued. "However, I'm obligated to report on you, which is why I'm having you record your daily activities."

Akira nodded, coming to the conclusion that a special officer asked him to do this. Staring back down again at his notebook, Akira failed to notice Sojiro answering a phone call from his cell. Akira was just excited to have such a small notebook in his hands again… When he was younger, he loved to write in his mother's spare notebook pad. From his favorite word to any compliments he received.

"Well, I'm off," Sojiro suddenly announced, snapping Akira out of his thoughts. "I'll lock the place up, so do whatever you want for the rest of the night… Oh, but don't mess up my store. If something goes missing, I'll hand you right over to the cops." Akira nodded obediently in reply, causing Sojiro to relax a little bit.

Walking towards the door while waving goodbye, Sojiro added in "You got school tomorrow… You better head off to bed, all right?"

"Yes, sir…!" Akira replied, bowing a little. As Sojiro opened the door to head out, Akira quickly added in "Good night, Sakura-san." Sojiro glanced over to the kid and smiled before walking out, locking the door from the other side, flipped the door sign over to "CLOSED", and walked off. Akira stared at the door for a moment, a part of him hoping that Sojiro would come back. When he didn't, Akira let out a sigh and fumbled with his new diary. Journal. Whatever thing he just had to write on. Smiling, Akira turned around and headed straight upstairs to rest for the day.

After dressing into his pyjamas and brushed his teeth, Akira sighed the moment he sat on the bed, exhaustion filling him. He was a big fan of school, having a joy for learning. But this time, he _really_ wasn't looking forward to his first day. Especially if the rumors about his record got around. Scratching the top of his head, he pulled out his diary—journal—thing and a pencil form his bag and began to write. Nothing all that exciting happened today, so he just mostly wrote about trivial matters and his fears. Suddenly, his phone buzzed. Blinking in surprise, Akira pulled it out with a raised brow.

 _It's that strange app again…_ Akira hummed in surprise. Clicking his tongue, he dragged down the icon once more and deleted it. _Come on now, stay deleted this time. Don't make me unprogram you, got it? It'll just cause both of us problems!_

With a huff of frustration, he rebooted his phone just in case before plugging it back to his charger. Pulling the sheet covers over his legs, Akira closed his eyes and prayed for a normal school year with at least one person becoming his friend…

* * *

 **Diary Entry 1:**

The weather was rather gloomy today. Lots of clouds, not enough sun.

I wonder if folks back home got any sun today?

My guardian for my probation is a little strict, but I think he's a nice guy. Maybe?

Well, whatever he is, I'll be sure to show my thanks by not being any more of a nuisance to him.

School starts tomorrow. What a pain. I better get my act together, though. Of course, it's not like I was a bad kid in the first place. That assault charge is complete bs- literal shit on a piece of paper. But, what's done is done, so I can't get upset about it. _Nanay_ is waiting for me back home. And I promised to return to her, no matter what.

May the holy father watch over me during this time and guide me to the right path. As long as my faith is strong, I know that I will choose the right decision and continue to help all of my religious and non-religious brothers and sisters. Amen.


	3. Entry 3: Bizarre Events

April, 11th. Monday.

Akira stared blankly at himself in the bathroom mirror, dressed in his new uniform, his hair unkempt like yesterday. Crossing his arms over his chest, he sneered, tilting his head to the side.

"What's up, _fukcers_. I'm the big bad transfer student" he chuckled menacingly. The chuckle soon turned into an awkward laugh as he covered his heated face with both hands. Clearing his throat, he shook his head and tucked his hands into pockets. He had to be serious—first impressions are everything!

"Good morning, everyone. My name is Akira Kurusu" Akira began with a confident smile. "I'm not familiar with the area, so I would be much obliged if you could all take care of me." There was a pause. Akira groaned as he ruffled his hair in frustration. No matter what he did, his speeches either sounded awkward or he was just screwing around and not taking it seriously. Massaging his face, Akira sighed and stepped out of the bathroom, giving up. As long as he smiles and keeps it short, he'll be fine.

Akira walked upstairs to his room and pulled out a small medication bottle from his bag, popping it into his mouth. Once swallowed, he got on his knees in front of the window and made a prayer for his mother. It was an everyday ritual for Akira to pray for health and safety from God, as he was raised to do so with his mother. His father didn't necessarily have any religious beliefs (despite participating in shinto rituals), unlike his mother who was a very faithful Christian. Preferring his mother much more than his father, he decided to follow her, wanting the comfort that religion brings.

Once Akira had finished praying, he got up, grabbed his bag and headed downstairs. A rather spicy aroma wafted to him as he inched closer to the cafe. Much to his surprise, Sojiro had arrived and the kitchen was filled with steam.

"Good morning" Akira greeted with a bow. Sojiro looked up and blinked.

"Oh, so you actually _are_ going to school?" Sojiro asked, sounding rather genuinely surprised. Akira nodded, trying to hide the fact that he was nervous. Sojiro humed in interest, looking down at his hands. "...Here, I'll feed you. Just make sure you finish it before the customers start coming in."

Akira blinked in surprise before nodding, taking a seat in front of Sojiro. Sojiro walked over to the kitchen and scooped up something that Akira couldn't see and walked back, placing a fresh plate of curry down in front of him. It smelled delicious and Akira was more than grateful to have something to eat in the morning, but… Why curry?

"What's that reaction for? Just eat it" Sojiro instructed. Akira flinched and nodded obediently, picking up a spoon and scooping up a small amount of rice. After taking a bite, Akira found himself having difficulties to stop and began shovelling it down. He could taste complex flavors within the bold spiciness, his face brightening as they danced in his mouth. He couldn't help but look disappointed at his plate when he finished his meal. Not noticing the expression, Sojiro grabbed the plate and waved his hand dismissively at Akira.

"It's time for you to go" he pointed out. Akira stood up and smiled widely.

"Thank you for the meal! It was delicious, I'm wide awake now!" Akira chirped, practically beaming. Sojiro was a little surprised to see the boy smile so and couldn't help but return a sheepish grin.

"Thanks… Now hurry over to school. You'll end up late if you get lost on the way" Sojiro instructed. Akira nodded happily and with his head held high and walked out the door. Exiting, he noticed that the shop sign was still on "CLOSED". Closing the door, Akira decided to flip it over to "OPEN" so that the old man wouldn't have to do it later. With that, he pulled out his phone, opened Navi Maps and made his way to his first train station: Yongen-Jaya.

Upon arriving at the station, Akira noticed that there were a lot more people than the other day, when he had to ride the train. It was mostly filled with business men, but there were quite a few teens his age. Sadly, none of them wore the same uniform. When the train arrived, a hoard of people stepped out much to Akira's surprise, and in exchange everyone who waited stepped in. As Akira shyly stepped inside with the others, he noticed that there wasn't much room inside. When he stepped a foot in, he knew that he was going to have to stand right by the doors. Removing his bag, Akira hugged it close to his chest and stood right by the right door. There car was packed with people—just like the rumors had said!—but there was still enough space for him to relax and breathe. The doors soon closed and began to run. As excited as Akira was to experience the rumors, he knew that he was going to fall asleep if he didn't find something to distract him. Looking around, he noticed that the train was showing the news up on some LCD screens above the train doors. He didn't want to waste the efforts of actually paying attention to whatever horrible things were happening, but based on what the screens were showing, it seems like there are still some lingering effects from yesterday's accident.

Akira soon arrived to Shibuya. Looking at his phone, it said that he had to change lines to Ginza, which was on the upper floor. Exiting the train with a mass of people, Akira made his way upstairs peacefully. The upper-floor was bustling with shops and resting stations, a majority of men dressed in business suits seemingly grumpy over something. Akira paid them no mind however and focused on heading over to the Ginza line. Following the signs hanging in the air by wire cables, he managed to find the sign that pointed him in the right direction. However, it seems that they were cleaning and he had to find another way.

 _Just my luck…_ Akira sighed. Looking around, he decided to head up a flight of stairs to the station square where he noticed a woman being filmed. By the look of her formal attire, she was a news reporter. Passing them, Akira walked to the Teikyu building and headed up the flight of stairs and soon managed to find the Ginza line after walking through another resting station. Akira rushed through the hall when he noticed his train accepting passengers, once again holding his bag to his chest as he waited right beside the door. The train then took him from Shibuya to Aoyama-Itchome, a station that was relatively close to the school according to the Navigation app. Akira smiled to himself, glad that he managed to make it in one piece. Walking up the stairs with other teens wearing his uniform, he soon noticed that they began to run. Looking up, he saw that it was raining. Akira stopped at the step and blinked. He didn't have an umbrella...and he was sure that no one was going to lend him, a perfect stranger, one. Rubbing the back of his neck, he sighed and casually walked through the rain. As he walked, the rain began to pour, causing Akira to run for cover under a nearby buildings awning.

Akira cursed under his breath as he began brushing his clothes. Thankfully for him, his shirt managed to remain dry and wasn't soaked with rain water like he had thought. Relieved, he shook his head to get his wet bangs out of his eyes. Stuffing his phone into his pocket, he removed his glasses that were covered with droplets and began to wipe them. While doing so, he noticed a figure run over to him, stopping beside him. Akira blinked in slight surprise, staring at her blankly. Based on the slender body, Akira concluded that the figure was a girl, a white hood covering her head as she brushed off the rain from her shoulders.

The school uniform she were wearing was modified, a black blazer over a white varsity-like hoodie worn long to cover a good chunk of her thigh which was covered with red tights. Her hoodie has a zipper, a red stripe between two blue stripes at the bottom, and S symbol near the front bottom on one side. Placing his glasses back on, he blinked in surprise when the girl suddenly removed her hood. Just as he predicted, it was a girl who was rather beautiful with fair, flawless skin. Her eyes were bright blue like that of a clear summer day's sky, wavy long ash-blonde hair bouncing on her head. Akira was rather fond of her uniform, admiring its fashion. The girl, who had been looking up at the sky to see if the rain would let up soon, when she noticed Akira staring at her. Looking over at him, the two locked eyes for a moment. Akira blinked before nodding hello. The girl smiled and nodded hello back, looking away to stare at the road.

Akira looked down at his bag, pulling out his phone. He couldn't help but glance back at the girl. It only lasted for a second, but it felt like a century to him. The girl's smile was innocent and filled with warmth and kindness despite the fact that they were perfect strangers.

 _It'd be nice if we could be friends… I'd be lucky if she attended the same school as me_ , Akira thought to himself, the idea brought hope to his heart. Looking back at his phone, wondering if whether or not he should ask what school she went to, he noticed that the strange app from before had opened up and was covering a majority of his screen. Akira clicked his tongue and attempted to open the code to reprogram it. But for some reason, his phone refused to cooperate with him as the screen seemingly froze. Turning back to the girl, he opened his mouth to try and ask her if she had the same app when a car pulled up to the curb, catching their attention. The driver rolled down the window and peered out, revealing a man with dark curly hair, a large nose, relatively handsome dark eyes, and a large squarish chin.

"Good morning. You want me to give you a ride to school? You're gonna be late" the man offered. Akira blinked, wondering if he was talking to him.

As if to answer for him, the girl walked over to the car, muttering a polite "Um sure, thank you." Akira blinked rapidly in surprise, startled if he should pull her back. After all, it wasn't necessarily a normal thing to do in this sort of situation. But perhaps they knew one another? Before Akira could make up his mind, the girl was already sitting in the car. The driver fixed his gaze on Akira and smiled.

"Do you need a lift too?" he asked. Akira gasped softly in surprise, smiling nervously.

"N-No thank you, I'm alright" he said, nervously as he waved a thank you. The man nodded in reply and began to roll up the passenger window, where Akira noticed that the girl didn't exactly have a warm expression on her face like last time. As the car veered from the curb, a blonde haired boy sprinted past him with a bit of a limp, missing the car by a fraction of a second.

"Dammit… Screw that pervy teacher" he panted. Akira raised a brow and blinked.

"...Pervy teacher?" he repeated. He suddenly felt his phone vibrate, but he decided to ignore it. The boy turned around and locked eyes with him, his gaze filled with suspicion. The boy then approached him, his short eyebrows furrowing. Akira glanced down, noticing that he was a student with a modified uniform as well. He wore a black blazer that was unbuttoned to reveal a yellow t-shirt with a comic style star symbol and the word 'ZOMG!' printed on. He wore similar plaid trousers as Akira did that were rolled up to reveal his ankles, black suspenders hanging down.

"...What do you want?" the boy sneered. "You plannin' on rattin' me out to Kamoshida?"

"Kamo...shida?" Akira repeated slowly, slightly intimidated by the vulgar boy's tone. "What do you mean?" The boy threatening expression relaxed, replaced by confusion.

"Huh? In that car just now. It was Kamoshida…" he began. "He does whatever the hell he wants. Who does he think he is—the kind of a castle?! Ugh, don't you agree?" Akira blinked in surprise.

"He's a king of a castle? W-Which castle?" Akira asked, oblivious to the boy's words. The boy nearly fell in response, shaking his head.

"No, I-I mean..." the boy began. He suddenly stopped, looking Akira up and down. "...Wait. You _don't know_ Kamoshida? Are you for real? You're _from_ Shujin, right?"

"I think so..." Akira replied awkwardly. In all honesty, he almost forgot that the name of his new school was Shujin Academy. The boy crossed his arms over his chest, starting to feel annoyed.

"...You messin' with me? You're _wearing_ a Shujin uniform" the boy pointed out. Before Akira could reply, the boy took a step forward to him and noticed the emblem on his chest pocket. "A second-year, huh… We're the same grade then. Never seen you before though..."

"Uh, I probably should have pointed this out sooner… But I just transferred here" Akira explained, laughing awkwardly. The boy nodded slowly in reply, now understanding the situation. He then clicked his tongue and rubbed the back of his head.

"Then no wonder you don't know him..." he sighed. He felt a little exhausted having to go through all of that just to realize that he was talking with a newbie. He looked up at Akira, noticing they were at eye-level with each other, and motioned for him to follow. "This rain ain't too bad. We better hurry up, or we'll be late." Akira nodded, pocketing his phone. Suddenly, a wave of pain shot through his head, causing him to pinch the ridge of his nose. The other boy stopped and cradled his head, whimpering a quiet complaint. Did he also feel a headache coming on? With a sigh, he began to walk down the street, to which Akira followed from a distance behind.

* * *

Akira sighed as he rubbed his temple, opening his eyes to see the gray haired woman staring at him, having listened to his story so far with a grain of salt. Readjusting in her seat, she decided to ask a question—resting her elbows on the edge of the table.

"...There was a terrible subway accident that day. You remember it, don't you?" she asked. "I assume you know of the uproar that the public calls the psychotic break down incidents."

Akira stared at her, absorbing her words, before pinching the ends of his bangs, replying "I might." The woman scowled, not appreciating his tone. But she soon sighed and tried to relax, reminding herself that the poor boy had gone through enough tonight with the police brutality and the drugs.

"It was all over the news and one of the victims included a teacher a your high school. I've no doubt you heard about it" she began, sitting up straight. "On that day...were you still an 'ordinary' student?" Akira continued to pinch his bangs, twisting the black strands in silence. The woman unconsciously grabbed a chunk of her own long, gray hair and began to fondle it, somehow mesmerized by Akira's actions.

"...Let me change the question" she sighed, causing Akira to glance at her. "You transferred to Shujin Academy, correct? An ordinary prep school that could be found in any city...that's what it should've been. What happened around that time? Tell me everything— _truthfully_."

Akira squeezed his hair for good measure before letting out a sigh as he pushed himself back to lean on the chair's back. He was exhausted and could really use a nap… but to satisfy the woman, he decided to continue, though doubtful that she would accept whatever he was to say next...

* * *

Akira followed the vulgar boy without much thought, his eyes mostly focused on the way that the boy walked. He clearly had a limp and it really stood out, the way his head would bop up and down unrhythmically with each step. Akira couldn't help but wonder why the guy had a limp. Was it a fight? A simple stretching error? Or was he trying to do something heroic and only got his ass busted? The curiosity was tugging at Akira in so many different it was starting to annoy him.

As the two continued walking, Akira suddenly stopped, blinking in surprise. Something felt… _off_. Looking around, Akira noticed that the two had entered a narrow alleyway, the rain no longer falling. Akira began to sweat, wondering if it was really such a good idea to follow a random stranger who claimed to be form the same school as his new one...

"Wha-?!" Akira heard the boy say from a distance. Blinking in surprise, Akira quickly strided down the alleyway, making it to the other side where he saw the boy staring at a large, western style castle. Akira couldn't help but gasp in awe, stopping right beside the boy. It was no school, but he would most definitely sign up if they were offering royal tutors to teach random kids.

"We didn't...come the wrong way though..." the boy muttered, looking back form the way they came to the castle. Following his gaze, Akira noticed that the alleyway had several turns and corners, suggesting that there could have been other openings.

Looking at the boy, he asked, "You sure?"

"Yeah, this should be right..." the boy replied with a sincere tone of confusion. "What's goin' on…?" Looking at the castle, the two boys looked at each other and nodded. Akira began to turn around to head back.

"I guess we'll just have to go and ask" the boy hummed, causing Akira to turn back around to follow him.

Upon entering the castle with the doors, strangely enough wide open for anyone to enter, Akira could tell that he would definitely like to stop by again. It had a rather medieval atmosphere to it, which really appealed to him. The floor was plastered with black and blue-gray diamond tiles, cloaked with a red and golden edge carpet, marvelous crystal chandeliers and candelabras hanging from the high ceiling, flattering red curtains draping here and there; but the area that deserved most praise was the grand staircase that stood before them, behind two silver-colored pillars—a charming, yet somewhat percilure painting of a prince charging to battle hanging in the middle, above the stairway. The way it was so boastfully exposed earned some mental praise from Akira, alongside the confusion of the situation.

"Th-That's weird… Where's the school...?" the boy asked, scratching the back of his head, to no one in particular. Turning his attention to the boy, Akira couldn't help but sigh and rub the back of his neck.

"Are you _sure_ you didn't make a wrong turn?" Akira asked in exhaustion. He was starting to doubt this guy and his sense of direction...

"N-No! This _has_ to be it!" the boy replied nervously. It was clear to see that he was confused about the situation as well, but at least had a strong will that this was indeed the location of the school. "I mean, it... _should_ be..."

 _Hm, assumed too soon_. The boy then stuffed a hand into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone.

"Out of service? Where'd we end up…?" the boy asked, now in shock and possible fear. Not turning to Akira, he asked, "The sign was for the school, right?"

"Uh, sorry… I wasn't really paying attention…" Akira replied, pinching the ends of his bangs. He didn't see the sign for the school on the castle, but he did notice a sign on their way that said "Shujin Academy" meaning that it was nearby.

"Ugh, are you for real?!" the boy snapped, nervously. Akira rubbed the back of his head in apology when he noticed a body of what appeared to be armor with a blue, sad mask approaching them. Pointing at it, the boy blinked and followed its direction, gasping in surprise when the suit of armor stopped right in front of him. A closer look at it, Akira noticed that it had a longsword in one hand and a large shield in the other. The way that it stood didn't exactly seem all that...friendly. Akira gripped his bag strap nervously, putting up his guard.

"Geez, you freaked me out..." the boy sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "...Who're you? You a student?" Akira couldn't help but raise a brow at the boy's lacking "Man, your costume's impressive… Is that armor real? C'mon, don't just stand there. Say somethin'." "...H-Hey, what's goin' on here?"

"...This your kink or something?" Akira asked teasingly as a way to break the tension. However, due to his nervousness, it came off really _really_ awkward.

"Is now really the time to be jokin'?!" the boy snapped, not appreciating Akira's attempts. The body of armor took a step forward, similar to that of a soldier, causing the two to become rigid. "...This shit's real."

The group of soldiers, almost as if activated by the boy's words, pointed their spears and broadswords at them. Akira blinked in surprise, his companion yelping in surprise and arising fear.

"C-Calm down! Time out, man!" the boy shouted, clearly in distress. He then backed up to Akira, his breathing noticeably heavy, and shouted: "We gotta run!" Akira stared blankly at the boy, unsure of how to deal with the situation.

"Stop standin' around and run!" the boy snapped, pushing Akira, causing the two to turn to the entrance to try and escape, only to be surrounded by more guards. "Ugh, what's with these guys!?"

"You are unauthorized to be here!" one stated with unquestionable authority.

"Capture them!" another demanded. Akira's heart began to race, terrified of what this could result in. The soldiers draw closer, surrounding them in a tight circle to prevent them from running anywhere. The boy brought his arms up in a boxing pose, but he knew just as much as Akira that there was no way he could stand against them. The closest one to the boy bashes him in the back with its shield, knocking him to the ground.

"Whoa—hoy!" Akira couldn't help exclaiming, looking frantically back and forth between the soldier and the boy. Paying no mind to Akira, the soldier forcibly grabbed the boy's arm, the sound of stiff muscles popping and possible bones grinding upon each other was heard.

"Oww…! Y-You're gonna break my bones, dammit!" the boy whimpered, trying to get up and resist the soldier's forced actions. Akira decided to try and help, glaring at his opponent before taking a step forward. Suddenly, he felt a numbing pain from the back of his head, the world around him growing dark as he collapsed onto the ground. The last thing he could see was vivid blonde hair.

* * *

Floating in an abyss of darkness, Akira could feel something warm hold onto her right arm. It felt… gentle and caring. Almost conquered. It was an old feeling—one he thought he would never feel again. It had been a good amount of time by now since someone has hold his arm like that. Opening his eyes, Akira could see a blurred figured standing over him, golden rays surrounding its head. Blinking the blur away, the figure became clear—a dumb yet cute face leering down on him with slight concern.

"Hey, you good?" the boy asked, shaking Akira's arm. There was a small pause of silence before Akira readjusted his glasses… and suddenly let out a scream of realization—the boy also screaming, but in shock/surprise. The boy jumped back as Akira jolted up, shortly cupping his head as a shockwave of pain overtook him.

"What the hell is your problem, man?!" the boy barked, sounding very annoyed with Akira's unusual antics. Akira rubbed the back of his head and looked over at the boy, giving a weary smile.

"S-Sorry, bad dream surfaced to real world… You alright?" he asked. The boy let out a loud sigh, his body flopping forward in an almost cartoonish way.

He stood up straight and stuffed his thumbs into his pockets, replying with a mere "Yeah."

Looking around, Akira realized that they were imprisoned in what appeared to be a medieval cell; barrels sitting beside the cell door, rope, and what appeared to be shackles hanging from the walls. He noticed that their bags were inside with them, sitting atop the barrels. It looked almost as if they were on a movie set with the rather fine, almost disturbing, amount of detail their surrounding environment and objects had. Looking down, he saw that he had been laying on a cot.

Flinging his legs off, standing up, and brushing his clothes; he asked: "How long have we been out?"

"I dunno" the boy replied, looking around with clear agitation. "Damnit, where _are_ we?! Is this some kind of TV set…?"

The boy walked over to the cell bars and began to bang on them, yelling, "Let us outta here! I know someone's out there!" to anyone—if there was anyone—nearby. Akira crossed his arms over his chest, taking in his environment. Walking over to the left wall, he reached out, touching the shackles hanging. Cold. Smooth. Metal. He lifted it, pulling away from the wall as hard as he could, causing the chains to clang together like little imps laughing.

 _Damn. I don't think these are just props on a set…_ he thought, noticing the subtle weight the shackles had.

"H-Hey, are those…? Don't they use 'em for torture and stuff?" the boy suddenly asked, uneasily. Well, it was one way to put it… Akira nodded in reply, letting the shackle fall back to the wall, laughing once again at the impact. It was a real shackle—not a prop by any means. Depending on who rules this castle, the two were going to be tortured or even executed… Or even receive the other end of a stick. When a scream suddenly echoed in the dungeon, he could feel sweat accumulating on his forehead, his glasses fogging just a tad. He rushed up to the bars, holding onto the bars beside the boy and looking down the corridors, but they could not see the owner of the screams.

"The hell was that just now…?" the boy began. More anguished screams erupt from somewhere deeper in the dungeon, as if answering for him. The boy shook his head, his grip noticeably tightening with—what can only be— _fear_. "Whoa… Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa… You're shitting me right?"

Suddenly, a set of armored soldiers clustered to the front of their cage.

"You're lucky your charges have been quickly decided. You're charged with unlawful entry. Thus, you will be sentenced to death" they say simply.

"Say what?!" the boy shouted in shock. Akira could only stand there in a stunned silence. He called it, and yet he couldn't help but swallow anxiously. Th-There was no way… Were they really going to die?

"No one's allowed to do as they please in my castle" a distorted voice suddenly stated. The soldiers parted in the middle, allowing a strange man with bright yellow eyes to walk up to their cage. Akira blinked in disgust, internally screaming as he noticed that the man wore a crown on his head and a tight pink speedo along with an extravagant cape. If they were being tortured before the execution, then it was starting right now

"Huh? Wait…" the boy began, sweating in disgust and shock. "I-Is that _you_ , Kamoshida?"

"Kamoshida?" Akira repeated. He thought back to the strange man from before, comparing the two in her head. Facially, they certainly _appeared_ to be the same. But something was rather off about the one standing before him.

The strange Kamoshida before them huffed, crossing his arms over his bare chest, uttering "I thought it was some petty thief, but to think it'd be you, Sakamoto…"

 _Sakamoto. So that's his name_ , Akira thought, making a mental note to himself.

"Are you trying to disobey me again? It looks like you haven't learned your lesson at all, huh?" Kamoshida asked in mock innocence. Akira glanced over at Sakamoto, spotting a split second tension from him. The two has some history, huh

"And you brought a friend this time… because you can't do anything for yourself" Kamoshida commented, causing Akira to glance back over at him. The two locked eyes, Kamoshida's gaze winning the battle of intimidation—causing Akira to break the gaze by looking away.

"That ain't funny, you asshole!" Sakamoto snapped, his teeth gritting against each other. Kamoshida glowered down at them, giving him an appearance of fearful authority.

"Not only did you sneak into my castle, you commited the crime of insulting me- the king!" he growled, clearly upset. "The punishment for that... is _death_." Waving an arm out, his cape fluttering with almost a sense of grace. "It's time for an execution! Take him out!"

The soldiers rattled against the bars, surprising the two. Sakamoto began to step back, sweat rolling down his jaw. Akira looked back and forth between the incoming guards and Sakamoto, his legs unable to move despite his brain telling them to do so.

"W-Whoa, what? S-Stop it…!" Sakamoto whimpered softly. The soldiers opened the cell door and forced their way in, heading straight towards Sakamoto. Before they knew it, they surrounded Sakamoto. Akira couldn't do anything but stare stiff as they closed in on him.

"...Goddamnit…!" Sakamoto muttered under his breath. With amazing strength, he rammed into one of the soldiers. It clattered to the ground, leaving an opening for him to get out. "I ain't down for this shit! C'mon, we're outta here!"

Sakamoto gestured at Akira to run towards the cell door. But before Akira could even react, Sakamoto was sucker punched in the gut by one of the other soldiers. Sakamoto groaned, coughing violently and gulping large chunks of air, desperate to stabilize his trembling body. He fell slowly to his knees, using his right hand to keep himself up. As he struggled, the soldiers regrouped around him, Akira gritting his teeth. Sakamoto was doing what he could to escape—now was _not_ the time to cower!

"Leave him alone!" Akira barked, rushing forward towards a soldier and tried pushing one away. But to no avail.

"Just go! Get outta here…! These guys are serious!" Sakamoto yelled, not wanting someone else to go down with him. Kamoshida, possibly noticing the still breathing and living boys, walked into the cell. He smirked at Akira, amused that the fool was trying to move one of his men.

"Oh? Running away, are we? What a heartless _friend_ you are" Kamoshida snickered, putting emphasis on "friend" for extra effect.

Akira turned his head and glared at Kamoshida, about to open his mouth to reply, when Sakamoto huffed: "He ain't a friend..." Akira flinched and looked at Sakamoto, who despite being a bit beaten up- his gaze was intense and serious. The two of them were just unfortunate souls and nothing more. Akira knew this to be the truth, but he couldn't help feeling hurt. Maybe because he was hoping that the two would one day become friends or maybe because he knew that Sakamoto was just admitting it openly in hopes to save him.

When Akira did nothing, staring blankly back at Sakamoto with those big glasses of his, Sakamoto growled and yelled once more: "C'mon! Hurry up and go!"

"Saka...moto-san…" Akira muttered under his breath. Gaining new confidence, he continued to struggle with the soldier before her, but there was no use. He couldn't let this nice guy just die! He was friend potential!

"What's the matter? Too scared to run away?" Kamoshida mocked, his eyes narrowing in annoyance. He turned his attention towards Sakamoto, approaching him as he waved a hand—causing two soldiers to push Akira back against the wall. "Hmph, pathetic scum isn't worth my time."

The soldier gripped Sakamoto's arms tightly, prompting a yelp to escape, the intensity gone from his eyes. Once fully raised, a sadistic grin formed on Kamoshida's face as he slowly waved a fist in front of Sakamoto's face. There was a loud smack, followed by a grunt, shortly after; Akira wincing at the sight.

"Take this! Lowly scum! Useless pest!" Kamoshida laughed as he effortlessly beat down on Sakamoto. Akira was shamefully stuck at his spot, unable to say or do anything, wincing with each smack that resonated in the room. With one more punch, he sent the poor blonde face first to the ground. He was motionless on the ground. Akira flinched, taking a step forward. Kamoshida spat on him, causing Sakamoto's hands to twitch in response. Akira couldn't help but sight softly in relief, Sakamoto looking up at Kamoshida with a weak glare, the damage evident on his face.

"...Hmph. Where'd your energy from earlier go?" Kamoshida asked mockingly, kicking Sakamoto to keep him limp. "A peasant like you isn't worth beating. I'll have you killed right now."

Akira finally managed to get enough courage and screamed out: "Stop it! Have you lost your mind?!"

Kamoshida hummed in surprise and amusement as he looked over his shoulder, those hallow yellow eyes making him feel a bit unsettled. But he didn't back down.

"What…? Don't you dare tell me you don't know who I am" Kamoshida asked, sounding genuinely surprised, as he got up in his face. Akira glared at him, hoping his intense emotions would reflect on his lens.

"That look in your eyes irritates me!" Kamoshida growled, punching Akira with a left hook. He managed to hold his ground, suppressing event a grunt so that Kamoshida wouldn't have the pleasure of hearing it.

Kamoshida huffed in annoyance, dissatisfied by the result. Turning back to Sakamoto, the soldiers pushing their shields closer to Akira, he instructed: "Hold him there… After this peasant, it's his turn to die."

"No!" Akira shouted as he tried to crawl underneath the soldiers shields. But the soldiers grabbed him by the arms and slammed his against the wall. He could hear Sakamoto begging—crying, even—to be spared as Kamoshida strode closer to him. His fists tightened, emotions swirling violently inside of him...

 _This is truly an unjust game… Your chances of winning are almost none._

Akira blinked in surprise, glancing up in response to a rather familiar young girl's voice resonating in his mind. A butterfly fluttered carefree before her, its slightly transparent blue body simply mesmerizing.

 _But if my voice is reaching you, there may yet be a possibility open to you…_

Akira's eyes widened, everything becoming silent. Was there really a...?

 **What's the matter? Are you simply going to watch? Are you forsaking him to save yourself?**

A voice as strong as a bear's roar resonated within Akira's mind, his heart stopping with fear and surprise.

 **Death awaits him if you do nothing. Was your previous decision a mistake then?**

Akira's eyes snapped open, the woman's petrified pleas, the predators slurred words, the sound of static, police lights breaking the dimmed streets… How could that choice be a mistake? It wasn't…! Even now, being put in this hell of a situation, he didn't regret anything. He saved that woman! The sudden sound of Sakamoto's struggling brought him back to reality, his head practically turning like a wild animal. He flinched as a soldier raised him from the neck, choking him. It raised its' sword, ready to end his life.

"Don't you dare! He isn't going to die on my watch!" Akira shouted, his voice cracking in a way that ended up making it sound doubled. But Kamoshida and his soldiers didn't pay any attention to him—or rather, they couldn't even hear him. He fiercely flailed against the soldiers that held him in place. His only thought was to save Sakamoto.

 **Very well… I have heeded your resolve.**

Throbbing pain suddenly smacked him in the back of his head, causing him to squeeze his eyes shut and swing his head violently to the side. It was unbearable—sweat down pouring his face like rain, the sound of nails on a chalkboard vibrating from deep within his ears. It felt like his body was being split in half, starting from the head down.

 **Vow to me.**

He wanted to scream out in agony. But he kept his voice inside, gulping large chunks of air like water, stretching his vocals as he suppressed himself.

 **I am thou, thou art I…  
Thou art willing to perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice!**

His body jerked violently as the pain grew in an alarming rate. His skin felt hot, his eyes shifting frantically through closed lids. His pounding heartbeat filled the silence in his ears each time the voice paused.

 **Call upon my name, and release thy rage!**

He threw his head up, soft gasps and whimpers escaping him. They weren't loud enough, however, to bring unwanted attention.

 **Show the strength of thy will to ascertain all on thine own though thou be chained to Hell itself!**

The pain ceased as the voice did, but his anger did not leave. It flooded his entire being, powerful enough to have created an entirely new person. Akira couldn't help but crack an almost evil smirk, new confidence and determination filling him.


	4. Entry 4: Escape

"Execute him!" Kamoshida commanded, a bloodthirsty grin stretching his lips. The soldier holding Sakamoto nodded and swung his blade down-

"That's enough, motherfucker."

The blade stopped, a mere inch away from Sakamoto's paling face. Kamoshida slowly turned his head, looking over his shoulder to Akira in shock, along with everyone else in the cell.

"What was that...?" Kamoshida asked, frustration present in his voice. Akira didn't reply, his glasses fogged, keeping his emotions hidden. Kamoshida shook with fury as tension grew in the air. The soldier released his grip on Sakamoto, dropping him to the ground. He gasped violently for air, coughing with such strength that his body shook each time. Kamoshida didn't like to be ignored, striding over to Akira with an expression of anger, annoyance, and bloodlust.

"You desire to be killed that much...? Fine!" Kamoshida growled. He looked over at the right soldier who promptly smacked Akira across the face with their shield. His glasses flew off, revealing the boy's surprisingly long eyelashes and faint bags under his eyes, his body quickly going numb. The soldiers grabbed him by the arms once again, retraining him just as his sensations returned—his head hanging limp. Sakamoto struggled to stand, a split second of worry filling him, but sagged to the ground once more. The soldier raised its sword up and flung it down. But before it could even come within 5 inches of Akira's head, he opened his eyes and powerful gusts of wind suddenly picked up blinding everyone. Kamoshida covered his eyes with his arms, blinking in surprise as the wind died down. Lowering his arms, he looked at Akira—who stood alone, free from restraint.

Upon his face was something that appeared to be a birdlike domino mask—white in nature with a black frame around the eye holes, almost representing eyelashes. Akira, feeling something light upon his face, gingerly felt the mask. He hesitated for a moment, fear overtaking him. But at the thought of saving Sakamoto, he tried prying it off, a ripping sensation shooting through. It felt hot, like wax, and demanded to be ripped off. Akira flinched, unable to take the pain. He was scared to reveal who he was, to reveal his inner thoughts... But, again, the thought of saving Sakamoto pushed him forward. Fighting against the masks' resistance, he finally yanked off the entire thing and screamed in agony. Blood soaked his forehead and streaked down, his eyes covered by his bangs as he trembled from the pain. The blood dripped to the ground, dripping to a sinister tune as his confident smirk returned to his lips. Faceing Kamoshida, he let his anger run free—a single thought running through his mind.

Persona.

Almost as if it were triggered by it, the blood dissolved into blue flames, eventually engulfing his entire body. Kamoshida couldn't help but slowly back up in fear, the demonic expression that flashed before him as Akira's body was engulfed seemed to laugh at him. A chilling laugh echoed within the cell, slowly distorting with layers.

"Bow to my power!" the voice of Akira laughed, sending chills the Kamoshida and Sakamoto as the menacing lullaby of chains rattled, the fire eventually forming into a being above him. The strange being that emerged from the flames flapped it's black and red wings, revealing the new Akira that had formed—clothed in a new get up of a black ankle-length tailcoat, a high-necked waistcoat with gold accents, black jogger-style pants, brown-black winklepickers, and a pair of red gloves. The strange being above him grin as its claw-like hands touch his top hat, its dark body creating that sense of mystery and danger. It was tied by the chains but Akira didn't hesitate to release it. Once free, it blew back everyone, earning a shriek from Kamoshida who crawled away.

Sakamoto stared at the once awkward boy, speechless at what had occured. He opened his mouth to say something, but was promptly shut when Akira locked eyes with him. He flashed a devilishly alluring smile, sending a shiver down Sakamoto's spine.

 **I am the pillager of twilight—'Arsene'!**

Akira glanced at the strange being beside him, unfrightened by its appearance. In fact, it was almost comforting—like staring back at a relative that you actually liked.

 **I am the rebel's soul that resides within you.**  
 **If you so desire, I shall consider granting you the power to break through this crisis.**

Akira glanced back over to Sakamoto, taking note of his beaten form.

"The rebel's soul within me, huh? My old man did always say I was a little shit" Akira began, his eyes narrowing in hatred and shame. If only he wasn't so weak, the poor guy before him wouldn't be so bruised. Glancing back over at Arsene, he smirked. "Since you offered your services so nicely, I suppose just this one I'll ask something to lend me its power."

 **Hmph, very well...**

"Who the hell are you...?!" Kamoshida asked, trying to regain his authority from earlier, catching Akira's attention. He had somehow mustered up the courage to stand once more, sweat rolling down his jaw in fear. Seeing this, Akira smirked and glared down at the grown man.

"Your fucking worst nightmare" Akira growled, his voice oozing with sinistry. Agitated with his tone, Kamoshida looked at his mangled guards and pointed at the boy before him.

"Guards! Start by killing that one!" he commanded. The two soldiers stood and burst into monstrous-like entities eventually forming as some kind of floating pumpkins holding a lamp, a blue cloak covering their invisible bodies. "You'll learn the true strength of my-"

Before Kamoshida could even finish his statement, Akira flicked his wrist with a grin, a goop of black and red toxin swallowing the enemies whole, shortly disappearing into the Earth. The sound of chains laughing taunted at Kamoshida, causing him to look up to which he saw that it was Arsene that had ended his men's lives.

"You were sayin', _bitch_?" Akira cooed, tauntingly flicking his bangs out of his eyes, Arsene mimicking the action. From a third person standpoint, it almost looked like a puppet and its puppeteer. In reality, however, it was Arsene gaining more and more respect and faith for his master—loving each maniacal laugh, sinister smirk, and straight sass that escaped the once shy and awkward boy. He was letting all those feelings he kept inside of himself free at last. Akira felt complete, no longer chained down by the rules of society—by the rules of his father.

"You little...!" Kamoshida growled as he stomped up to him, his hand raised to attack.

"What, you want a piece of this too?!" Akira laughed, opening his arms and making himself more vulnerable, his eyes glowing red with power. But then suddenly, Sakamoto stood and as fast as he could rammed into the king. Kamoshida collided with the ground with a loud thud.

"Ha! You like that you son of a bitch!?" Sakamoto taunted. Akira blinked, his eyes returning to its usual dark color—almost as if he had been snapped out of a spell. Looking around, Akira found hi his glasses that had been smacked away earlier and grabbed them.

"Sakamoto-san, grab the key to the cell!" Akira instructed as he dashed out the cell, also grabbing their bags from the barrels.

"Y-You mean this!?" Sakamoto asked, picking up a key holder that had a several old-fashioned keys dangling from it. Akira turned around, spotting the key holder in Sakamoto's hand.

"Yeah, hurry it up!" Akira demanded as he turned back around, looking from side to side to see if any enemies were heading their way. With all the commotion they had made, they were bound to encounter more soldiers.

"Alright, alright!" Sakamoto replied with slight annoyance. He dashed out of the cell and quickly slammed the cell door shut with Kamoshida still inside. He quickly understood why Akira told him to grab the keys and examined the keyhole. Picking the key that matched the hole to him, he managed to lock the door.

"Ok, it's locked!" Sakamoto let out a sigh of relief, knowing now that the bastard was stuck on the other side.

"Damn you!" Kamoshida yelled as he stood, staggering. It seemed like Sakamoto did a number on him—much more than he thought he did. Once Akira assumed that they were safe for now, he let down his guard and turned to face his companion... Who looked at him in awe and suspicion.

"What was that just now!? And... your clothes!" Sakamoto pointed out.

"Clothes...?" Akira repeated, raising a brow. Looking down at his hands, he finally noticed his change of appearance. "Huh? When did they change?!" Almost as if they were teasing him, he reverted back to his normal look.

"Whoa! It went back to normal...?" Sakamoto exclaimed, noticing Akira's face. Perhaps it was the dim lighting, but to Sakamoto, Akira's face glimmered—his cheekbones and jawline appearing much softer than before, his dark eyes much sweeter with the alluring shade that kissed beneath his lower eyelids thanks to the faint bags. It was a bit surprising/alarming to Sakamoto that the guy before him had such a pretty face... How did he not notice it before?

"Aw, that sucks... I didn't really get a good look at myself" Akira muttered as he slipped on his glasses, the glimmer Sakamoto once saw now gone. So that's what it was. What kind of magical bullshit is that?! Kamoshida suddenly banged on the cell bars, causing the two to jump in surprise.

"You bastards! You think you can get away with doing this to me?!" he yelled.

"God, this's effin' nuts!" Sakamoto growled, running his hands through his short hair. "Anyways, let's scram! You lead the way!" Akira didn't question it and shoved Sakamoto's bag onto him before running down the path, Sakamoto following closely after. As they went, he chucked the keys into the river of water—an action that vexed the imprisoned Kamoshida.

Noticing this, Akira shouted, "Hoy, why'd you throw the keys away?! You could have stuffed it in your bag!"

"I don't give a shit! I ain't down for any of this! Let's just get outta here!" Sakamoto shouted back, clear anger and desperation in his voice. Kamoshida shook the bars violently, causing them to rattle in anger.

"Goddamn thieves!" he swore under his breath as he watched their figures retreat from him. "Guards! After them! Don't let them escape!"

As the two ran, they quickly encountered a locked cell door. Looking around, they found a short, broken bridge above the river that lead to another path—one with a noticeable open door. With an easy jump, the two continued from there and encountered another bridge of sorts. However, this time the "bridge" was 4 metal crates that zigzagged across the a stronger river. The water wasn't what frightened Akira... It was the metal crates that acted as a bridge. They didn't look very stable and far too shiny for his own good.

"Dude, you better not fall... I'm not fetchin' ya if you do!" Sakamoto warned, having similar thoughts.

"Saying stuff like that is only going to make me nervous!" Akira snapped back, sweat rolling down his jaw. Swallowing, the two got over their fears and hopped along the zigzag bridge. Once on the other side, they continued through, entering a new hall filled with empty, locked cells. At the end of the hall was a locked door, earning grunts of fear and annoyance. However, one cell was open, to which the two ran inside without much thought.

"Another cell?" Sakamoto questioned to no one in particular. Akira quickly glanced around, looking for another means of passage. He quickly spotted a hole big enough for them to crawl through, immediately sliding his bag over his back as he kneeled down.

"Through here" Akira pointed, crawling through the hole. Noticing it, Sakamoto also knelt down and began to crawl—his bag snagging on a rock at the entrance.

"Crap! My bag's stuck!" he growled, trying to pull it free.

"You alright back there?" Akira called out, not stopping to check on his companion. Sakamoto managed to pull his bag free, properly adjusting it along his backside. Looking down the hole, he could see Akira's crawling figure ahead of him. For some reason, Akira's pretty face flashed in his mind, causing him to grunt and shake his head.

"Y-Yeah, I got it! Keep going!" he replied, crawling through.

Once the two reached the other side, they were back to running. They didn't know where they were running to, but there was an exit to the castle—and at one point or another, they were going to make it there. Hopefully soon.

"Hey! We gotta hide!" Sakamoto suddenly gasped, grabbing Akira's arm and pulling him down. The two crawled over to a pair of wooden crates, hiding from the sound of running footsteps that made their way closer on the other side of the path. Peeking up from above the crates, Akira could see that there were a good number of soldiers running on the other path, making their way towards whence they came.

"...They're looking for us, right?" Sakamoto whispered, the two standing up once the soldiers ran from their field of vision.

"That or they're going to free their king" Akira pointed out, adjusting his bag that hung from his shoulder.

Sakamoto stomped the ground with his right foot, running his hands through his hair once again, shouting "I ain't playin' along with this anymore! We gotta find a way outta this goddamn place!"

"I'm sure we're almost to the exit!" Akira reassured. Sakamoto sighed in reply, clearly distressed from everything that happened.

The two continued running, making their way up a flight of spiraling stairs in hopes that it was an exit; only to enter a similar hallway like the one down below. Except this time, they had company.

"H-Hey... Look..." Sakamoto began, his voice trembling, as he pointed at several hanging cages above the river. Looking closely, Akira could see the people with helmets on their heads, covering their faces, crying and moaning out for help. "We really did hear people screamin'... So we ain't the only ones who got captured!"

Akira stared at the figures, some of which stretched out their hands towards them and directed their pleas. Turning away, he continued forward, mumbling "...We can't do anything about them right now. Let's get out of here while we still can." He felt sorry for them, yes, and wanted to rescue them. But he couldn't waste any more time there. Thankfully, Sakamoto didn't protest too much, quietly following behind him.

Continuing onward, the two reached another drawbridge—one much more grand than the previous. Sadly for them, the bridge was up—blocking their vision from the other side of the rushing river.

"Damnit, the bridge's up! Ain't there some way to lower it!?" Sakamoto groaned, his right leg tapping nervously. Akira looked down the path, noticing only a few creates and more cells.

"And there's another dead end down this way..." Akira mumbled, examining the bridge. Walking over to the right side of it, he noticed a rather strange statue with marble eyes. "Maybe it has something to do with this eerie statue?"

Sakamoto walked over to Akira and noticed the statue, immediately making a face of disgust. It looked almost like Kamoshida's face. "Ew, is this s'possed to be Kamoshida? What a creepy-ass statue... It really pisses me off."

Akira thought for a moment, staring intensely at the statue's eyes. The rest of the statue was pure stone—so for the eyes to be made of glossy marble... Maybe it had something to do with lowering the bridge? Like in the movies?

Turning to Sakamoto, he suggested, "Let's see if there's anything in those boxes. Maybe a tool or something to help us tinker with this statue."

"Oh, good idea!" Sakamoto replied, almost eagerly. The rushed down to the crates, immediately grabbing hold of one. With their forces combined, they began to pull the lid. However, it didn't move an inch—even when Sakamoto picked up a rock to use as a sort of crowbar. "Come on, come on... Open, damn you!"

"...Hey, you there."

Akira blinked in surprise, looking down at the crate. Did it just talk?

"Blondie! Frizzy Hair! Look over here!"

Akira and Sakamoto looked at each other, slowly turning their gaze to the cell behind them. There, they could see a predominantly black cat with blue eyes and a white muzzle, paws, and tail tip; a yellow bandana tied around its neck while a tool belt tied around its waist. But... was it really a cat? It looked far too cartoonish to be a real cat... Its head was much bigger than the rest of its body, making its blue eyes extremely big... and adorable.

"What is this thing!?" Sakamoto exclaimed in both fear and shock, the two walking closer to the cell it was trapped in.

"Oh wow, that's a nasty look" the creature suddenly grimace at Sakamoto. Sakamoto raised a brow, unsure of what it was referring to. His body was numb at this point, the throbbing pain from before no longer present. But to those who looked at him, the most noticeable feature of his face was a black eye with small cuts here and there all over.

"...It's cute" Akira muttered under his breath, a light pink dusting his cheeks. The creature shook its head and looked at Akira, waving it's little white paw at them.

"You're not soldiers of this castle, right? Get me out of here!" the creature begged, it's childlike and tomboyish voice causing the blush to deepen on Akira's face. It then looked over and pointed a key holder which hung teasingly beside the lock, just out of the creatures grasp. "Look, the keys right there!"

"We're trying to get the hell out of here...! We don't have time for you!" Sakamoto replied, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "And, I mean, you obviously look like an enemy too!"

"I highly doubt it. It's locked up in there, so how can it be an enemy?" Akira pointed out, adjusting his glasses in attempt to hide his heated face.

"Exactly! So help me out!" the creature agreed, hoping that the frizzy haired boy would help him.

"Quiet down, alright? We don't want any unwanted attention" Akira gently shushed the creature. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps and voices from afar caught their attention, Sakamoto's blood running cold.

"They're catchin' up already...!" he whispered. Pulling out his phone from his bag, he went to the dial app—only for the screen to flash the words "No Signal" on it. "Shit, there's still no service... And damn! That bastard really did do a number to me! Ugh, how am I gonna explain this?!"

Akira pulled out his phone as well, receiving similar treatment. Putting it away, he looked at Sakamoto—who was busy examining his face, his phone acting as a mirror—and urged, "We need to open these boxes, stat."

"Hey, wait! You two!" the creature suddenly called out, not letting the boys leave its side. "You want to know where the exit is? Let me out and I'll take you there. You don't want to get caught and executed, right!?"

"Wha... Really? Can you really help us?" Akira asked, surprised that a stranger—er, strange creature—would be providing them help. But then again, it was making a request that would essentially help him.

"I never go back on my word!" the creature reassured with a genuine nod.

"This thing sounds like it's all talk..." Sakamoto muttered under his breath, not sure who or what to trust in this hell hole.

"If you guys think you can get out on your own, then be my guest!"

Sakamoto glared at the creature, unappreciative of its attitude. He looked at Akira and asked, "Whadda we do...?"

Akira looked back at the creature, its blue eyes staring right at him. This was a matter of life and death—for all three of them. Was there really any other option? Sighing, his flushed cheeks deepening once again, as he replied, "In a situation like this, we have no choice but to trust th- it."

Sakamoto made a face, a drop of sweat rolling down his jaw. Akira had a point—they were in a place/world that didn't make sense. They were being pursued by soldiers that want their head—and meant it. They really didn't have a choice but to trust it. But he was still very suspicious of the creature. Who could blame him? Everything is not as it seems. Looking back at the creature, Sakamoto growled, "Are you seriously not messin' with us!?"

"If you don't hurry, they'll catch you" the creature merely replied. It knew that it had won this battle. Trying to fight with the blonde boy was just a waste of energy.

"F-Fine..." Sakamoto mumbled, looking away.

"Smart move" Akira commented with a thumbs up, approving Sakamoto's decision. Then again, he would have just let the creature free all on his own even if Sakamoto said no. Grabbing the keys, Skira swiftly unlocked the cell door and opened it wide.

The creature walked out of the cell and began to stretch, moaning "Ahhh... Freedom tastes so great...!"

"It'll taste even better once we're out of here..." Akira pointed out, placing a hand on his hip. He did his deal—now time for the creature to stick to its word and help them out.

"Yeah, so where's the exit, you monster cat!?" Sakamoto snapped.

"Don't call me a cat! I am Morgana!" the creature snapped back.

"Morgana, huh? Nice name" Akira complimented, earning a proud smile in return.

"Shuddup- both of ya! Let's hurry it up! You wanna get locked up again!?" Sakamoto shouted, causing Morgana to jump.

"A-All right, sheesh!" Morgana sighed. "Follow me, and stay quiet!"

Morgana made his way back over over to the drawbridge, the two following closely after. Once they reached the strange statue of Kamoshida, Morgana stopped and stared at it patiently.

There was an anxious pause as Sakamoto and Akira stared at Morgana, waiting for him to do something. After a moment, Sakamoto finally asked, "What're you doin'?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm lowering the bridge" Morgana replied simply.

"So it had to do with the statue after all..." Akira hummed, pinching his chin in thought. Just what was the trick?

"You, Frizzy Hair. It seems you pick up faster than our Blondie over here" Morgana began, catching Akira's attention as Sakamoto growled in surprise and annoyance at the name of 'Blondie'. "Try checking around the mouth of this statue, okay?"

"Uh... Oh! Of course! The jaw can be pulled down!" Akira exclaimed, putting it all together. Without any hesitation, he grabbed the statue's lower jaw and pulled down, the statue now appearing mutated. The eyes glowed a bright yellow, causing Akira to gasp in surprise as the drawbridge lowered.

Taken aback by the statue that stared at him with its glowing eyes, he muttered under his breath, "Yikes, that's... several layers of a creepy onion. What a weird design."

"Whoa!" Sakamoto gasped. "H-How were we supposed to know to do that!?"

Morgana snorted, crossing his arms over his fuzzy body. "Hmph, amateur. Come on, let's get going!"

The two heeded his words and continued onward... But it was futile. By the time they entered the next corridor, another hulking guard came straight towards them.

"Shit oh shit, it's them!" Sakamoto screamed, falling backwards and onto his butt. Akira stepped forward, determined to protect Sakamoto, his clothes once again transformed. But Morgana seemed to have other plans, jumping over Sakamoto and in front of Akira without a second of hesitation.

"You amateur! Stay still. Come, Zorro!" Morgana huffed at Sakamoto. Light blinded the duo as a large black figure wielding a rapier emerged above Morgana, similar to that of Akira first summoning Arsene. He glanced at Akira with interest, gesturing him forward to fight. "Hey you. You could fight, right? Let's go."

"Y-You got one of those things to!?" Sakamoto exclaimed in awe and fear. Just like the previous soldiers, this one burst into a monstrous-like entities eventually forming as some kind of pixie, wearing a rather scandles blue outfit which matched its blue wings.

"Hmph! We will promptly shut it up!" Morgana huffed with a look of confidence, pulling out a cutlass from one of his small pouches that hanged from his belt. The fairies roared with bloodlust, their voices distorted to make them sound much more intimidating than they actually appeared, their scrawny arms flexing doward as if they were intimidating gorillas. With eyes gleaming red and their breathing as heavy as a bull, Akira could tell that these enemies were going to be a bit different than the ones he fought by himself earlier.

"Damn Shadows... they've taken up intercept positions!" Morgana growled cautiously, pointing his cutlass at the two. "I'll back you up, so fight like your life depends on it! Let's go!"

Akira nodded in reply, a grin stretching his face as he summoned Arsene to his side. Extending his hand over to the enemy, Arsene flying towards it with its claws out. The enemy dodged the attack and flew upward, Arsene promptly chasing after. It looked almost like a dance between two figure skaters, knowing the rhythm of the other.

"Hmph, I knew you were an amature" Morgana sighed with a cocky tone, shaking his head with a grin. "This is how you fight!" Pointing his sword at the enemy, he called out his Persona's name, causing a gush of green wind to crash into the enemy, a shrill scream of pain escaping as it fell to the ground, badly injured.

"Whoa" Akira gasped, squatting down. Pinching his chin, he quickly managed to put two and two together. Everything has a weaknesses... So by tackling the enemy with said weakness, it gives them a better advantage during combat. So that's why he managed to defeat those enemies back at the cell so fast. Smirking, Akira stood up and snapped his fingers; Arsene immediately plummeting to the ground, its sharp claws stabbing various points of the fairy. With one last cry of pain, the fairy bursted into black and red bits, ending the battle.

"Not bad. Your Persona's pretty powerful" Morgana complimented, putting his cutlass away. Akira looked down at the creature and grinned in gratitude. Although, there was a hint of cockyness, earning a strange shiver from Morgana...

"Persona...?" Sakamoto repeated, walking over to the two, now having regained his courage to stand. "Y'mean that thing that comes outta you guys all dramatic like?"

"Yes. You saw how Frizzy Hair here ripped off his mask when he summoned it, right?" Morgana began. "Well, everybody wears a mask deep within their heart. By removing that..."

But before Morgana could finish his explanation, Akira's clothing returned to the normal uniform he was wearing before. Sakamoto blinked in surprise, muttering, "Huh...? He turned back to normal..."

"It looks like you don't have full control over your power yet" Morgana hummed, inspecting Akira's body. "The transformation shouldn't normally dissolve like that. After all-"

"Rrgh, that's enough!" Ryuji groaned in frustration, interrupting. "This crap doesn't make any sense!"

"Can't you just sit still and listen for once, Blondie!?" Morgana snapped, growling in annoyance.

"Don't call me Blondie! My name's Ryuji..."

Ryuji Sakamoto... Akira took a mental note of Ryuji's name, nodding to himself, before interrupting the two, "Hate to be the party pooper, but we're not exactly in the best place to sit around and goof like this."

"You're right" Morgana sighed, a tad embarrassed/ashamed for losing his cool and arguing with with Ryuji. "Let's hurry, then. It's not that much further to the exit!"

Ryuji and Akira nodded, following Morgana up a slight of stairs and down some corridors. Continuing down the way, Ryuji asked them to stop, staring into the bars of one of the cells. A boy in a red sports uniform was sprawled on the floor inside. He appeared to be breathing, but unconscious—numerous bruises and marks on his exposed skin.

"I feel like I've seen what this dude's wearin' before..." Ryuji muttered, rubbing the back of his head trying to recall. It was on the tip of his tongue...

"Dude, now's not the time to sightsee" Akira pointed out, adjusting his glasses as he glanced at the boy in the uniform.

"Yeah! Come on, let's go!" Morgana urged, jogging in place.

"Hold on, damnit!" Ryuji snapped, squatting down to try and get a look of the boy's face. But the boy was laying on his front, his head turned to the side. "Just... Who are these guys?"

"Do you really think you have time to worry about other people right now!?" Morgana snapped, annoyed and cautious. "Besides, they're-"

Suddenly, the bridge before them lowered with a thud, blowing dust which blocked their vision. Once it cleared, an armored soldier clamored towards them. Morgana groaned, clearly upset with Ryuji's naivete.

"Let's get this over with" Akira huffed as his clothes changed.

"I'm glad you stick to your guns" Morgana complimented, grinning with interest. The soldier transformed once again into a fairy. Though this time, it was a bit smaller than the other—the runt of the liter.

"Ha, how cute. And here I thought it was gonna be a big baddie" Akira cooed teasingly. With a smirk, Arsene dramatically ascending behind Akira as he whispered: "You're finished." With the snap of a finger, Arsene flew towards the fairy and cleaved it right in half with its sharp claws, not even giving Morgana a chance to summon his own persona. Akira snickered as he playfully flicked his bangs out of eyes.

"Nice moves... For an amature" Morgana praised, his interest growing. Akira looked at him and blinked in slight confusion, wondering if the last bit was necessary.

"Thanks?" he replied, his clothes returning back to normal. "Anyways, let's scram before more show up. Sakamoto-san."

"Hold on, we can't just leave these guys here...!" Ryuji tried to argue.

"You really don't get it, do you?" Morgana sighed, his cat ears twitching in annoyance. "Hrgh... There's no time to explain! Listen, I'm going. If you don't wanna follow, then be my guest!"

And with that, Morgana ran down the path, leaving the boys behind. Akira could see the look of conflict on his companions face. It was something he deeply respected and 100% understood. But how can they help the people they saw in here if they don't escape in one piece? Ryuji looked over at Akira for advice—but his face said it all. 'Do you wanna die here with that guy or leave with me?'. Ryuji clicked his tongue and sighed before standing up.

"Dammit... Fine, I'm coming!" Ryuji barked as he began to run down the path as well, Akira following. The two rushed after Morgana and quickly caught up to him. He wasn't too far ahead, luckily. Maybe he was waiting for them?

"We're almost there—keep up with me, will you?!" Morgana barked, not stopping to look at them from over his shoulder.

"Shut up! You had a head start!" Ryuji snapped back.

...Maybe waiting for them was a bit of a stretch. Nevertheless, the trio ran into a hallway with two doorway entrances after running through the grand room the two boys had entered when they first arrived there.

"We're here!" Morgana huffs, skidding to a stop next to a door on his left.

"Finally! We're saved...!" Ryuji sighed. He looked around for a moment before rushiver over to a door a little ways down. When he tried to turn the knob, it refused to open.

Akira watched Ryuji grunt and groan as he tried to open the door before adjusting his glasses, pointing at the door besides him and Morgana with his thumb. "Uh... I think we're going through this door."

Morgana rolled his eyes as he pushed the door open, Akira following him inside. They could hear Ryuji gasp, uttering, "Huh? H-Hey, wait up!"

Inside the room, the first thing that stood out to Akira was the lack of lighting. With no windows, they couldn't even tell what time it was outside. Other than that, it was pretty bland—just a few bookshelves, some filled with books while others were empty.

"Where are we supposed to get out from here!? There aren't even any windows!" Ryuji asked Morgana, unable to see that much with the dimmed atmosphere.

"Ugh, amateur... This is the most basics of basics" Morgana sighed in defeat. Ryuji growled at him, baring his teeth like a wild animal, not intimidating the small cat at all. Looking around, Akira spotted a metal square gate. An air duct.

"...We go through the ventilation shaft" Akira pointed out, nudging Ryuji towards the draft's direction.

"That's right! As I thought, you're a natural at this" Morgana praised, purring with approval. "It leads all the way outside."

"I see... Then we just gotta get that metallic mesh off!" Ryuji hummed. He quickly climbed up a bookcase to the vent, standing on his knees. Akira took note of this, making sure to army crawl when going through.

Ryuji begans prying off the metal covering. "And a one, and a- WHOA!" In a few moments, it clunks to the ground, followed by Ryuji.

"You alright?" Akira asked, a bead of sweat rolling down his jaw.

"Oww..." Ryuji groaned. He suddenly gasped, jumping up to his feet. "Crap! The enemy didn't hear us, did they?!"

Akira looked over his shoulder towards the door , mumbling, "All the more reason to crawl through."

Ryuji didn't seem to hear him, whimpering softly, "Seriously, we're finally gettin' outta here...!"

"You should wait on celebrating until you actually get out" Morgana pointed out. "Now, get going."

Akira nodded and made his way up the bookshelf to the vent, bumping his head when he made it to the top. Ryuji, on the other hand, was a bit hesitant as he stared cautiously at the small cat-like creature.

"But... what about you?" he asked.

"There's something that I still have to do. We're going our separate ways" Morgana announced. Akira blinked and looked down at the two down below. He could see the seriousness behind Morgana's eyes, his determination to follow through his resolve. Ryuji looked over at him, unsure of what to do.

Akira paused for a moment before smiling in gratitude, showing a thumbs up. "Thanks for your help, Morgana. Don't get caught again, y'hear?"

"Heh, you better be careful too" Morgana chuckle, looking away bashfully for some reason. "See ya!"

Ryuji nodded farewell to Morgana and made his way back up. Akira gestured for Ryuji to go first, to which he obliged with no question. Once they got outside, Ryuji was going to need to act like the tour guide to get them somewhere safe—something a transfer student like Akira couldn't do. As the duo left, he could've sworn he heard the cat say something, but his thoughts were too occupied with escaping this strange place to translate its words.

A/N: Hey all! Hope you've been enjoying this fanfic of mine so far xD  
Just wanted to let you know that, uh... I haven't been doing my psychology journals for class? ; w ;  
And, I um, only have 39 more days to complete it. So I won't be uploading for a bit. Really sorry for the inconvenience! I'll do my best to finish so I can get back on this real soon!


	5. Entry 5: Piss Off

Bright light blinded Akira as he crawled on, slowly standing up upon feeling the kisses of fresh air. Soon, he ended up standing in the middle of a sidewalk. Beside him, Ryuji was struggling to catch his breath, bent over like he was about to vomit.

"Did we make it…?" Ryuji asked in between his gulps of air. Before Akira could answer, his phone suddenly vibrated, catching his attention.

Pulling it out of his pocket, a robotic female voice spoke, " **You have returned to the real world. Welcome back.** " He blinked in surprise as he saw the words "Saving Castle Location" flashing on his screen. Poking it, the words suddenly disappeared and his phone seemed to have returned to normal.

"Huh? Returned…? Does that mean we got away?" Ryuji asked, much calmer this time as he stood up straight.

"Probably…" Akira muttered, noticing the few glances being shot their way. Looking at his phone once more, his heart nearly dropped when he saw the time. 2:45 pm?! They had spent nearly the entire day at that weird castle! And that means…

 _...I'm gonna die today_ , Akira thought as he gulped, a fearful shiver running down his spine.

"I dunno what to think anymore..." Ryuji suddenly began, unaware of Akira's nervousness, his voice a bit too loud for their own good. "What was all that anyways…? That castle, and Kamoshida, and that weird cat! The hell's goin' on?!"

"What's with the yelling?"

Akira flinched as two officers strolled over to them, one pushing a bike. Ryuji didn't seem to be startled—if anything, he was glad. Maybe they could explain to him what the _hell_ he just went through.

"Are you students of Shujin?"

Noticing Ryuji's black eye and his other injuries, the second officer looked over at Akira with suspicious eyes, causing him to sweat. But looking back and forth between the two, the officer calmed himself a little.

"Looks like you've gotten into some trouble there, kid. Are you escorting him home?" the second officer asked, gesturing towards Ryuji's black eye. The two boys flinched, having completely forgotten about the damage Ryuji took. This was… certainly going to be interesting.

"Actually, officer, we were on our way to school..." Akira replied, trying hard to keep his voice steady. He was shaking in his shoes just staring at the two, but if he showed that they could get suspicious of him.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" the first officer asked, raising a brow. He then came to a sudden assumption and glared at the boys. "Cutting classes, are we?"

Akira quickly shook his head no as Ryuji quickly butted in, waving his arms. "We were _tryin_ ' to get to school, and we ended up at this weird castle!"

"...What?" the first officer simply said, with a rather tired tone. He sighed. "Hand over your bag. You better not be doing any drugs."

"Drugs?! Why would you think that!?" Ryuji asked, taking a step back.

"Are you his friend?" the second officer asked Akira.

"Uh, s-something... like that" Akira replied slowly. Their current relationship status was… something that was needed to be discussed later on. Or at least acknowledged by Ryuji.

"Then you should go to school. Take him with you" the officer instructed, nodding to Akira.

Before Akira could oblige, Ryuji interrupted them with an annoyed tone, "Like I'm tryin' to say…! I don't know what's going on either!"

"We passed by Shujin on our way here. There was nothing out of the ordinary about it" the first officer explained, letting out a sigh of annoyance. "If you spout any more nonsense, I'll contact your school. Is that what you want?"

Ryuji was taken aback, shocked that something so small like this misunderstanding could end up with a call to the school. Slightly panicked and annoyed, he looked over at Akira and whispered, "C'mon, say somethin'!"

"...Let's get going, man" Akira replied, turning around and began to walk down the sidewalk. He didn't know where he was going, but the others didn't know that.

"W-Wait a sec! Ugh… Fine, I'm goin'!" Akira could hear Ryuji shout, quickly catching up with him. Ryuji smacked Akira's shoulder with the back of his hand, growling. "Hey! Why didn't you back me up?! We saw the same things—you shoulda said somethin'!"

"Listen—there's a time and place for everything. That was clearly _not_ the time to be talking to police officials" Akira huffed, glancing away. The way the officers looked at them…their eyes screaming 'Damn kids'... It pissed him off. "...And it was pretty obvious that they weren't going to listen to what you said, no matter how truthful you were."

Ryuji opened his mouth to argue, but it quickly closed. Akira had a point… Those officers didn't care—neither of them looked _too_ injured to cause a real commotion. And besides, there were just _kids_. Too much of a hassle for them to deal with. He didn't stand a chance with the cops alone… If he tried, it would only get him into more trouble. Ryuji sighed in defeat, the two making their way back to Shujin in silence.

Thankfully, they didn't seem to be too far away from the academy, arriving within minutes. It was just like how Akira remembered it. Ordinary and slightly disappointing. It was a bit of a relief for him, but a complete shock for Ryuji.

"Is this for real…?" Ryuji muttered under his breath in disbelief. "I'm sure we came the same way… What's goin' on here…?"

"That's exactly what I wanted to ask you."

A man wearing a boring brown suit with black, tidy hair walked over to their line of sight; stopping at the top of the stairs to look down on them. The man didn't look that threatening in the slightest, but perhaps it was the fact that he was possibly a counselor or was someone of power, his glare was enough to make Akira feel nervous.

"We received a call from the police," the man huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What…?!" Akira exclaimed softly, genuinely surprised that they reported them, even though they left before causing too much trouble.

Ryuji gritted his teeth, kicking the air in annoyance. "That damn cop snitched on us after all!"

The man glanced at Akira, a bit surprised by his appearance, but paid him no mind. "It's rare not to see you alone. Where were you roaming around until this time? Getting into fights with the college kids?"

"Uhh… a ca- a castle?" Ryuji replied nervously, stuttering. Akira couldn't help but smack his forehead, sighing. It was admirable that Ryuji was truthful like this… but it was kind if naive.

"So, you have no intention of giving an honest answer?" the man sighed, shaking his head. Ryuji opened his mouth to argue, but before he could...

"What's this about a 'castle'?"

Akira and Ryuji flinched at the familiar voice, looking up to see Kamoshida walking over to the man. It was rather comforting to see his eyes a normal brown… and actually wearing normal clothes. Something the two boys would never thought would bring them relief.

"Kamoshida!?" Ryuji exclaimed. Kamoshida looked down at the two teenagers at the bottom of the stairs. Noticing Ryuji's injuries, Kamoshida shook his head.

"You seem so carefree, Sakamoto" Kamoshida sighed, a hint of mocking disappointment in it. "Quite a difference from when you did morning practice for the track team."

Akira glanced over at Ryuji as he took a step forward in aggression, snapping "Shuddup! It's your fault that—"

"How dare you speak that way to Mr. Kamoshida!" the man interrupted, also taking a step forward. "There's not much leeway left for you, you know?"

"He's the one that provoked me!"

"Do you really want to be expelled!?" The man sighed, shaking his head. "In any case, you'll have to explain yourself! Follow me!"

Ryuji gasped, looking over to Akira to see if what he heard was right—the shocked expression on his face confirming it as such. Looking back over at the man, Ryuji shouted, "What!? This is bullshit!"

Akira couldn't help but readjust his glasses, pushing it up as he stared intently at Kamoshida. There certainly is… a rather official air about him. Something that a king would possess… And even though they were rather far apart, he noticed that Kamoshida had the same look of a cocky grin stretching his lips. Almost as if he _enjoyed_ seeing the little squabble.

 _I wonder…_

"Come now. I should have been more considerate, too. Let's just say that we were both to blame" Kamoshida said to the man, placing a hand on his shoulder. The man looked at Kamoshida in surprise, his mouth wide to insist that it was all Ryuji's fault, before shutting it with a sigh.

"Well, if you say so… Still, you're coming with me. It's undeniable that you're extremely late… And a trip to the nurse is in order," the man huffed in annoyance, motioning for Ryuji to follow him.

Ryuji opened his mouth, clearly agitated that he had to deal with this, when Akira whispered to him, "Don't fight anymore with them, man…"

Ryuji looked a bit shocked by his words, before sighing and rubbing the back of his neck in defeat. "Fine…"

Ryuji walked up the stairs, shooting a glare to Kamoshida as he passed him, he and the man leaving. Akira looked down as he too began to make his way up the stairs, needing to head to class.

"By the way… you're that transfer student, correct? Akira Kurusu…?"

Akira flinched and looked up, the distance between him and Kamoshida much closer now that he had walked up the stairs. Akira's eyes narrowed nervously, noticing something interesting about Kamoshida's brown orbs, muttering a nervous "Y-Yes, sir… That's me."

Kamoshida blinked, a surprised and slightly confused expression on his face. "...Have we met somewhere before?"

"...You offered me a ride along with that girl early this morning, when it was still raining" Akira replied, softly.

"That's right… I remember now" Kamoshida hummed as he pinched his chin in thought. He then beamed a wide grin, making the teen uncomfortable. "Well, I'll overlook this just for today."

"Th-Thank you, sir…" It was a bit uncomfortable for Akira to see the man before him acting so kind. Unlike Sojiro, this only made him feel even more nervous than before, his heart thumping with anxiety.

"I'm sure you've heard from the principal, but cause any trouble and you'll be expelled. Understand?"

"Yes, sir, I understand…"

"At any rate, hurry up and go to the faculty office. I'm sure Ms. Kawakami's tired of waiting."

Akira blinked, his expression showing signs of confusion. He then gasped, remembering that Kawakami was his homeroom teacher—the tired lady he was supposed to meet up with so he could be properly introduced to the class.

"O-Oh! Right!" Akira stammered, nervousness and anxiety now in full gear. "U-Uhm, where is the faculty office?!"

"Second floor, the first door on the right. Can't miss it" Kamoshida replied with a smile. "Good luck trying to enjoy your new school life!"

Akira nodded quickly in thanks before jogging towards the front doors. The moment he stepped inside the school building, he could feel all eyes were on him as whispers floated around. Something that would usually bother him fell on deaf ears this time as his mind was too preoccupied with gathering enough courage to enter that forsaken faculty office. The last thing he wanted was to see another woman's face cloaked with exhaustion…

Akira held his head delicately, staring at the woman in front of him with a blank stare. Both of their expressions revealed it all. She didn't believe him and he _knew_ she wouldn't.

"The school turned into an old castle…? A talking cat…?" she uttered to herself, making sure she didn't misheard the boy. He blink once, slowly with tired eyes, causing the woman to narrow her eyes in suspicion. "Are you hallucinating from an overdose? I won't put up with you if you're simply joking around."

Akira close his eyes in exhaustion, just as tired as she was from telling his story. It was a waste of time trying to explain it to an _outsider_ …

The woman glanced at her watch briefly, pursing her lips. She couldn't afford to ask minor questions like this—she only had so much time to use interrogating him. Tucking a stray hair behind her ear, she sighed. "I'm going to have you continue the story."

Pulling up a silver briefcase, the woman opened it up, swiftly placing a file between the two. Opening it, she reveals a card—childish in appearance, with it's cut out letters and poorly drawn logo of some sort—and a photo of Kamoshida.

"The one who received a 'calling card' from the Phantom Thieves was an Olympic medalist… An alumnus from Shujin Academy—the PE teacher Suguru Kamoshida," she began. "It's true that what he did were deplorable crimes from… _indulging_ his desire. He confessed to it all... But there should've been no connection between the two of you since you had just transferred. Why did you target him?"

Akira sighed and massaged his scalp, afraid that if he were to scratch it, blood would start squirting. "If I'm tellin' you my story, then you'll find out, yeah? So why don't you let me tell you when the time comes…"

The woman slammed her fists onto the metal table, the sound loud enough to echo and reverb vibrating with power, almost like annoyance coming into fruition. "That attitude of yours is unacceptable!"

Akira simply stared at her, an almost bored expression on his face. 'Are you done yet? You gonna let me continue or not?', is what his eyes seemed to scream. The expression infuriated the woman more, but she managed to regain her composure and settle down. With an annoyed flick of the wrist, Akira closed his eyes and continued.

Akira stood nervously in front of the faculty officer door, pacing side to side. He managed to get enough courage to enter, don't misunderstand. However… He didn't know what to say. He couldn't tell the complete truth to Kawakami—she looked to be the type of woman that didn't have the patience for the nonsensical. So what was his excuse going to be? He got mugged? No, that will cause more trouble than he is already making for himself. Lost seems most logical, and so does traffic…

Akira blinked, turning around. Looking down the hall, he could see students scattering, taking turns while whispering to one another. Looking down, he concentrated on hearing the busy bees buzzing in the air...

"Isn't that the transfer student?"

"Yeah. I heard he's got a criminal record."

"I heard he assaulted some dude."

"No way. I heard he tried to mug someone."

He could feel sweat rolling down his jaw, his worries and anxieties from before now vanishing as new woes entered his mind. How? How was he already the talk of the school? Did the principal inform everyone about him? No one… No one else was supposed to know! Just Kawakami and Kobayakawa!

"I heard that he was disowned from his family..."

A sudden wave of sadness crashed into Akira, causing him to place a hand over his heart as his legs almost gave out. It looked unnatural to those that passed by him or stared at him from afar, his knees buckling inward to catch himself from falling. His eyes began to sting, tears threatening to fall, his breathing unstable. He pursed his lips together and quickly began to wipe away the threatening droplets. He took a deep breath and stood up, turning around to face the door once again.

 _Now isn't the time to get emotional! Man up, Aki! You're only making this harder on yourself_ , Akira screamed internally, angry at himself. The longer he waited, stalling for time just because he was nervous to open the door himself was only going to mess him up in the future. Opening the door, he walked inside, ignoring the glances from the other teachers that inhabited the area. He quickly found Kawakami, walking over to her. Noticing him, she instantly glared, not even turning to face him as she continued flipping through papers and sorting them into a pile.

"Unbelievable… Being over half a day late on your first day…?" she sighed with irritation. Akira tugged at his turtleneck, rubbing his thumb against the sewn hearts. Of all days to forget his handkerchief… Noticing the motion, Kawakami finished stacking her papers and turned towards Akira. "Can you explain yourself?

"I-I took the w-wrong t-t-train a-and ended up getting l-lost…" Akira stuttered rather violently, struggling to keep eye contact with his teacher. Kawakami raised a brow in suspicion.

"How could you have been lost for _this_ long? It's almost lunchtime."

Akira looked down at his shoes, bowing a little in apology. "I-I'm sorry…"

Kawakami stared at the bowing teen as he stood up, sweat beginning to form, his glasses fogging. Maybe he was an anxious, shy kid?—No, that wouldn't make sense with his criminal record. Maybe he's lying…

Kawakami opened her mouth to lecture him before sighing, too tired to actually _give_ one. And not only that, the way the kid was slowly hyperventilating under her tired gaze was evident enough that he didn't want to cause any trouble. She couldn't help but feel a little grossed out… and sorry for him.

"Well, it's probably true that you're not used to the area yet… But you're still way too late" she sighed, shaking her head. She was too lazy for her own good. Akira readjusted his glasses, his lips quivering as he tried to calm down. "Will you pull yourself together? You were given fair warning yesterday. More importantly… I heard that you were caught along with that Sakamoto-kun?"

Akira blinked, nodding slowly in response. Kawakami sighed once more, her presence radiating of 'Poor guy' becoming a 'You've gotta be kidding me- what a disappointment you are' kind of vibe.

Sensing this, Akira tugged at his turtleneck once again and asked shyly, "'T-That' Sakamoto-san…? What is that supposed to mean?"

Kawakami looked away, straightening up. Akira blinked at this.

 _...Must be a former teacher of his_ , Akira thought.

"Just don't get involved with him, okay? He's nothing but trouble and hanging out with him will give everyone the wrong idea" Kawakami explained, still not meeting eyes with him. She muttered something softly to herself with a sigh, shaking her head. "Anyway. Break's almost over. Classes will end after fifth period today because of the subway accident. I'll have you introduce yourself when class resumes."

"Yes, ma'am" Akira replied, trying to analyze what Ryuji could have done in his past to deserve such cold treatment from these teachers. Kawakami stood up and gathered her things, handing him a slip of paper which had his classes and the times. She then told him to follow her out into the hall, to which he obliged.

The bell rang as the two walked down the hall, Kawakami stopping suddenly in her tracks to turn and face Akira. "By the way, when you introduce yourself… Be serious about it even if you're lying to the class, okay? Do _NOT_ say anything unnecessary."

"I understand…" Akira murmured, becoming nervous once again. The hallway was practically empty, but he could feel the eyes of judgemental people staring at him from different angles. The feeling left him as the two approached classroom 2-D, much to his relief. But the feeling of relief was short lived.

When Ms. Kawakami slid the door open, the whole class was already seated. As soon as Akira was spotted, conversations erupted amongst them, their topics clearly about him. Akira began to sweat, his glasses fogging up from his silent hyperventilation. This was an important moment… If he fails to make a proper introduction, his first impression of being a decent guy is going to plummet down to the earth's core. He followed Kawakami to her desk and stood in front of the class, trying to remember what he had practiced this morning. Sadly, he couldn't concentrate. With everything that happened to him today, it was safe to say that his mental state was not its sharpest. He was so nervous that he didn't even hear what excuse Kawakami spun up to explain his absence. He barely heard her queue to introduce herself.

"I… um… I-I'm Akira Kurusu…" Akira began, his face heating up in embarrassment. He was loathing himself right now for stuttering like an aged lawnmower. "It, uh, it's… nice to meet here- I mean! It-It's nice to be here! Uh, nice to meet you all… here…"

Akira pinched the ends of his bangs, his face beat red and dripping with sweat—which fell from his face to the ground as he lowered his head in shame. Whispers flew around the room like singing birds, but he was too far and embarrassed to hear any of them. The only thing he could hear was his heart thumping in personal frustration. Kawakami pointed to an empty desk near the back, indicating to him that it was to be his seat for the year. He nodded silently and walked over. To his surprise, the blonde girl from earlier sat right in front of his assigned seat.

"...Lies."

Akira blinked, stopping besides the blonde girl's desk. She looked agitated… At him or something else, he wasn't sure. What he _was_ sure of was the fact that she was the one to utter the word: Lies. He wanted to ask more, but the snare on her face was far too intimidating for him, and trying to have a conversation in the middle of class would bring even more attention to him. So he continued past her and took a seat at his new desk.

"...Did you see that? He stared at her for an awfully long time, didn't he? Do you think those two know each other?" a girl, two rows away from him, whispered to the girl behind her.

"Maybe he was checking her out," the other girl whispered back, causing Akira to flinch.

"That means she's cheating on him with Mr. Kamoshida…! But, then again, this is Takamaki-san we're talking about…"

"For real. That side of the room is totally awful."

He groaned quietly and held his head between his hands. It's just like the rumors back home… To think that he would have to live through them again. Why can't he just attend a school for once and _not_ be a rumored student? Like a background character in anime. Or an extra in the movies. Or a cutout cardboard in a play.

"Oh, right! The volleyball rally's in two days… Everyone's just changed classes, so make sure that you use that time to get to know each other" Kawakami began, causing the whispers to die out. She kept flicking her eyes over to Akira, taking notice of his tired physique and rather pale face. He didn't look too well, honestly. "Well then, let's get class started. Who's on duty today?"

A boy towards the front of the class wearing a white turtle neck stood up, uttering a tired, "Everyone, please rise…"

After greetings. class officially began; but Akira could feel the nervous and judgmental stares of his fellow classmates surrounding him. The whispers didn't stop either, causing him to fidget nervously. Thank goodness he only had one class—by the looks of his schedule—for today.

The class itself was rather normal—not too bad. Though, some of the people were hesitant to share their textbooks with him, causing a rather awkward aura to resonate. But, thankfully, they were obedient and did what they were told. And, as the saying goes: Good things come to those who wait. Class was over before he knew it, much to his—and honestly, _everyone's_ —relief.

Akira was one of the first people to leave the classroom, a feeling in his gut telling him to hurry on back to the cafe.

 _If the police called the school, it wouldn't be that big of a surprise if the school called Sakura…_ Akira thought, sighing. Walking down the hall, his feet suddenly became heavy, his eyes struggling to focus at the figures glancing at him. Closing his eyes, he rubbed the bridge of his nose, groaning softly in annoyance. What was wrong with him? Looking back up at the hallway, he noticed that it was not the same—looking more like an elegant castle with a velvet red carpet, pearl white walls with chandeliers hanging from them, guards walking up and down the way.

Akira shook his head, gritting his teeth. It felt like someone was pulling on a hangnail—the sensation resonating from his head.

 _Can't I get a break?!_ Akira whimpered to himself.

"What's wrong?"

Akira slowly looked over his shoulder, the castle halls converting back to the school hall as he locked eyes with Kawakami, her brown orbs sprinkling concern and curiosity. Noticing the attention he was drawing to himself from his passing peers, Akira blushed and brushed his hair with his fingers.

"Um… I-I'm fine…" Akira muttered. Kawakami crossed her arms over her chest, raising a brow.

"...Are you _sure_ you're okay?"

"Y-Yes…"

Kawakami sighed, looking unconvinced, but questioned it no further.

"I hear he hides a bunch of dangerous stuff in his bag…"

"Isn't he a criminal that's gotten into all sorts of stuff…?"

"Is he the one who got charged with assault?"

"I heard that he's a super problem child, and no other school will take him."

Akira lowered his head, pursing his lips at the whispering assumptions swaying in the wind. Kawakami felt a little awkward as well, standing near the rumored kid that people were openly talking about. She held her left arm with a nervous hand, glancing away.

"Also… it seems like people are already talking about you, but I'm not the one who told them" she explained. Akira didn't look up to acknowledge his gratitude for her keeping it a secret. It didn't change the fact that he was the talk of the school right now. "You should head straight home without stopping by anywhere. Sakura-san sounded pretty angry."

Akira visibly winced, glancing up at her with a worried expression. "...That bad?"

She made a face and shrugged her shoulders. Akira pursed his lips, keeping in a groan of agony. "Oh and about Sakamoto-kun—"

Her sentence was suddenly cut short as someone approached them. Noticing the pause, Akira followed her gaze, spotting Ryuji making his way towards them. Or rather, _him_. He noticed that Ruyji's black eye was tidy up with a bit of makeup and bandages, hiding the color. But after a bit of staring, one could notice the swelling.

"Speak of the devil… What do you want? I heard the police caught you cutting class today" Kawakami huffed in slight annoyance and exhaustion. Maybe a hint of concern, as well.

Ryuji sighed, waving a hand dismissively, uttering; "Ugh… It was nothin'—fake news, man."

"And you haven't dyed your hair back to black either."

"Sorry 'bout that..."

Ryuji placed a hand on Akira's shoulder, causing him to flinch by the sudden action. He leaned in close and whispered in his ear, "...I'll be waitin' on the rooftop."

Without a moment to let Akira process what Ryuji was doing or _why_ he was doing it, Ryuji turned and made his way up a flight of stairs near them. Akira stared after him, rubbing his ear to ease the strange sensation of being whispered into.

"See? That's why I don't want you getting involved. Understood?" Kawakami sighed, holding an arm like before. Akira turned his attention back to her and blinked.

"Ah… yes, ma'am" he finally replied. She stared at him with a raised brow for a moment before dismissing the strange behavior and headed towards the faculty office.

 _...The least I could do is hear out what Sakamoto has to say_ , Akira thought with a sigh. This was probably a dumb move on his part—making Sojiro wait even more—but he couldn't deny the tugging curiosity he had inside. He looked around the hall, wanting to get directions first… and maybe some reassurance that it was okay to go up there.

Glancing around, Akira noticed a familiar turtleneck. It was that boy who got class started... He was a bit on the shorter side with spiky black hair and dark eyes. He looked to be the quiet type… and maybe a bit athletic, too? The way he wore his Shujin uniform—with the shirt untucked, the suspenders off his shoulders and without the blazer, and also wearing white tennis shoes with green accents—screamed to Akira that he did sports or something.

Walking over to him, Akira noticed that the guy visibly tensed as two familiar figures walked into their line of vision. It was Principal Kobayakawa and Kamoshida. To see the two of them together would only cause trouble if they caught him… And sure enough, they just happen to be talking about _him_ … Like everyone else in the school.

Keeping his ears open to eavesdrop on the conversation between the two men, Akira walked over to the boy, uttering a simple; "Excuse me."

The boy visibly jolted back, his face becoming pale as he turned his attention to Akira. "Huh…?! I-Is there something you want from me?"

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you!" Akira apologized, feeling guilty for startling the guy so violently. "Um, where is the rooftop?"

The boy blinked, looking Akira up and down, his face paling more every time they locked eyes for a split moment. While this continued, Akira glanced back over to the men, just in time to see their conversation end; Kamoshida clicking his tongue in annoyance as Kobayakawa headed towards his office. Based on their conversation, the school things quite highly of Kamoshida… Kobayakawa going so far as to call him the school's "star". Honestly, with praise as high as that…?

 _...My hunch might be true about Kamoshida and that other world_ , Akira concluded, his eyes narrowing as Kamoshida walked back downstairs. Returning his gaze to the boy, he noticed that his lips were moving, but he didn't know what he was saying.

"I'm… Sorry? I didn't catch that" Akira muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

The boy, once again, jolted rather violently before glancing away and pointing to the stairs that Ryuji took. "I mean, uh… just go up those stairs and you'll get there."

"Alright, thank you very much" Akira nodded thanks to the boy before turning around and walking up the stairs.

 _That guy is pretty cute… A bit jumpy, but that's also kinda cute. What's the deal with those injuries, though, I wonder?_ , Akira hummed in thought. _Maybe they're sport injuries or something..._

At the top of the stairs, a door awaited him—folded chairs and other objects stacked at the sides of the small room. Ignoring them, he went straight to the door and hesitantly pushed the metal bar, making a noise. The door was unlocked... _undoubtedly_ by Ryuji. Akira wasn't stupid—he knew that the rooftops were always locked for safety reasons. For it to be unlocked? Ryuji did it or at least had some connection to it.

When he emerged from the door, he saw Ryuji casually sitting on a chair besides what could possibly be a tool shed and several old desks and chairs. When he approached, Ryuji didn't hesitate to start the conversation.

"Hey, sorry for calling you up here like this. I bet Kawakami already told you stuff like 'don't get involved with him,' huh?"

Akira stared at him with hesitant eyes, wondering if it would be a good idea to really be talking with him. "...Yeah. She said you're trouble."

"Heh, we're pretty much in the same boat" Ryuji cracked a grin, standing up to be at eye level with him. "I heard you got a criminal record. Everyone's talkin' about it. No wonder you were so gutsy."

Akira flinched in slight offence, frowning. Sure, people seem to already know about him and his criminal record, but that doesn't give Ryuji—an _actual_ delinquent with his dyed hair and bad reputation—to say that _they_ were in 'the same boat'.

Looking away, he gritted his teeth and growled a soft, "...piss off."

"Huh?" was all that Ryuji could reply, sensing a dangerous aura wafting towards him.

"...I _said_ : Piss. Off," Akira growled once again, his glasses glaring in the sunlight—making his orbs hard to see, but also made it _much_ more menacing to their target. "You don't know me _or_ my record. If you're just gonna assume shit about me to my face, I'll admit you have more balls than you appear… But I'm gone. I don't have time for this."

Akira turned around with a huff, really thinking about leaving. He really wasn't the type to get so angry over a simple misunderstanding, but it infuriated him to be considered a delinquent.

"Wait! Don't leave, I wanna talk about what happened" Ryuji called out, a bit shaken up to chase after him. He didn't know why, but he somehow felt embarrassed and almost ashamed for making the guy so upset. He rubbed the back of his neck, glancing away. "Sorry if I pissed you off. Didn't mean to."

Akira slowed to a stop, his back still facing Ryuji. He let out a sigh of defeat and slight interest, looking up at the blue and orange mixed sky. He was as curious as a cat and honestly hated it. Slowly turning around, he walked back over to Ryuji, who smiled a little in gratitude and sat down in his chair.

"...What was all that that happened?" Ryuji began as Akira leaned against a desk. "You know, how we almost got killed at a castle… It wasn't a dream… right? You remember it too, yeah?"

Akira closed his eyes, his soul fuller than ever before. Arsene… He was there, somewhere, deep inside. He could tell. There was no way that was a dream. "...Yeah."

"Well, just 'cause we both remember it doesn't mean much though…" Ryuji sighed. Akira scoffed, folding his arms.

"Say that to your black eye."

Ryuji instinctively touched his face, wincing a little at the ghosting sensation. "I guess ya got a point… But it was so bizarre, though!" Ryuji sighed, pushing his chair back so it stood on the back legs, nonchalantly. "Well, even if it was a dream, you saved me from Kamoshida. So yeah… Thanks, man."

Akira blinked in pleasant surprise, adjusting his glasses. He wasn't expecting Ryuji to thank him—especially after he snapped like that just mere seconds ago. "Oh right, I never introduced myself to you… The name's Akira Kurusu. Probably the _only_ thing the rumors are gonna get right around here. And… you're welcome. It was nothing, really."

Ryuji smiled, a true sense of gratitude etched to his face. That smile caused Akira to glance away, pinching the ends of his bangs, shyly.

"Oh, speakin' of rumors" Ryuji began, his smile gone as a more serious expression replaced it. "There are some going around 'bout Mr. Kamoshida. Y'know, the ripped mophead? That asshole who was all full of himself at the castle?"

"Yeah. What about it?"

"Well, no one says anything against him 'cause he's some medalist who took the volleyball team to nationals. The way Kamoshida was king of that castle felt _crazy_ real because of it."

Akira hummed, looking back up at the sky. _So… That castle and "king" Kamoshida_ — _ew_ — _is an exaggerated or extreme display of him and what the real Kamoshida sees…?_

"Ugh, forget it. Must've all been a dream! It has to be!" Ryuji suddenly shouted, standing up. Akira nearly fell backwards in surprise, throwing his head backwards instead of forward. But he quickly caught himself and readjusted his glasses, sweating nervously at Ryuji's sudden actions.

Ryuji stared at Akira as he continued to compose himself, his lips pursed into a thin line. He… was a pretty strange guy. A little intimidating, random, and quiet… But mostly strange. Interesting, even. If not for everyone knowing about his records, he might've passed off as a plain, shy guy. The sudden image of Akira's eyes flashed into Ryuji's mind, causing him to shake his head in slight embarrassment.

If people knew that the guy had such a pretty face, he would be pretty popular with the ladies.

"Anyways, thanks for listening to what I had to say" Ryuji began, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He cracked a smile, causing Akira to blink in surprise. "You know, we might be pretty similar. I feel like we're gonna get along just fine as 'troublemakers'."

Akira frowned, offended once again for being considered a 'troublemaker'. But, now knowing that Ryuji had no malicious intent, brushed it aside and shrugged in reply. They were pretty different, really, but it was undeniable that their reputations were swimming in sewage. And they certainly were rather _interesting_ personalities, which might have drawn them to each other… The shine of interest that danced in Ryuji's eyes proved as such.

Ryuji grabbed his bag and walked over to Akira, standing beside him so that he could see Akira's pretty eyes through the lens. "You already know this, but I'm Ryuji Sakamoto. I'll come talk if I see you around. Don't ignore me, all right?"

Akira blinked, a bit surprised by the request. He glanced away, adjusting his bags shoulder strap as he pushed himself off the desk. "...No promises. In fact, here's a tip: Stay away from me when there's other people around."

Ryuji took a step back, a bead of sweat rolling down his jaw as his eyes widen, stuttering a simple "H-Huh?"

"I can tell you're a good guy, Sakamoto-san, and a part of me actually _wants_ to hang out with you," Akira sighed, his words slow. It seemed like he was having trouble saying what he wanted—perhaps it was out of guilt or because of Ryuji's expression of surprise and slight discomfort for being addressed so formally. But the tone in Akira's voice was genuine and serious. "But you have a bad reputation. And being associated with you is only going to tarnish _my_ reputation even more. We can talk. Maybe… If we're alone, like this, and out of the public eye. Sorry, man… But I have to think about myself first."

Akira sighed sadly, walking towards the door, leaving Ryuji speechless as he stared after him. He couldn't bring to even utter a goodbye. The thought of having friends… Or at least having someone to talk to was something that he desperately wanted. And he had a feeling that hanging out with Ryuji was definitely _not_ going to disappoint him. But, he had one goal for that year. And nothing—not even the temptation of friends, affection, or desire—was going to distract him from that.

Gathering enough confidence, he strides past the door and hurried on back to Leblanc. He could still feel the gaze of the shocked Ryuji lingering on his back.


	6. Entry 6: Return to the Castle

As soon as Akira walked into the cafe, the first thing he saw was Sojiro's face.

He was _pissed_.

"U-Uh… I-I'm back…" Akira stuttered, his voice cracking with anxiety when he attempted to set things on a more uplifting note.

"Hey, I got an _interesting_ call from your school today," Sojiro growled as he placed a hand to his waist. Akira had no wiggle room, so it seems.

He sighed quietly as he closed the door, Sojiro continuing: "It's only your first day and you're already showing up hours late?"

"I-I'm sorry… It was an accident. I got onto the wrong train and—" he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck, slowly making his way to the stairs of his room.

"I don't want to hear your excuses."

Akira sighed once again, his legs feeling heavier than usual. He was exhausted… And he wasn't feeling too hot, either.

"...Listen, just behave yourself alright? Your life's forfeit if anything happens. You understand the meaning of probation right?"

"Yeah, I—" Akira began, annoyance turning his head to Sojiro. His words were quickly caught off the moment he locked eyes with the grown man, who seemed rather surprised for Akira's starting response. Glancing away, he mumbled a polite "...yessir, I do. It won't happen again."

Sojiro opened his mouth to argue with the annoyed tone Akira had, when his cell suddenly rang. Pulling it out of his pocket, Sojiro turned away from the teenager and answered.

A phone call let him off the hook for a little.

"Hey, what's up?" Sojiro began. The person on the other side seemed to calm him a bit, prodding a small smile onto his face. Seeing it caused Akira to blink in slight surprise, now wondering who was on the other end. A girlfriend perhaps?

"...Yeah, I just closed up shop. I'll be there in half an hour," Sojiro continued. Noticing that Akira's presence, he shot the boy a cold glare. "Hey, what're you standing around for? Go hurry up to bed."

Akira flinched at the sudden attention and nodded, quickly making his way upstairs.

"Don't forget to lock the door and turn all the lights off, okay?" Sojiro called out just as Akira placed his bag on top of his drawer.

"Yes, sir…!" he called out in reply.

He could hear Sojiro continue talking to whoever was on the other line while tidying up a little, his words muddled by the distance and clattering noise. Shaking his head, Akira decided it was best to get dress and look over his class material to be fully prepared for tomorrow. However, the utter exhaustion in his body at the idea was enough to make him pass out right there. Sleeping while standing even!

If he knew _how_.

Rustling his curly locks, he pulled out his cell and quickly looked up the school's website, typing into the search bar 'textbooks'. Since he missed basically the _entire_ day at that strange castle, he missed the entrance ceremony and the gatherings of his textbooks. Having to share with others who _clearly_ didn't want to be near him made things way too awkward for his liking. It'd be best to get them tomorrow morning.

Making a little memo and accompanying reminder, he yawned and gently tossed his phone to the bed. Scratching the top of his head, he pulled out his diary journal thing— _Jodi? Diarnal? There's gotta be something simpler to call it_ —and a pencil form his bag, shortly commencing his report.

* * *

 **Diary Entry 2:**

My guardian made me food. It was good. It's surprisingly refreshing to have curry for breakfast. When I return home, I'll make Nanay some curry for breakfast.

My first day of school was… Wow. Writing it all out would be like going on an acid trip, so I'll just note the highlights. I bumped into a model status girl who shared an anime-esque moment with me, a cute blonde guy got us lost and we ended up missing out the first half of the school day which resulted in a run down with the poli-sausage who called the school and got our innocent asses in trouble. And then everything after that is normal. (I got an F on my first impression speech. I got too stupidly nervous.)

I hope Nanay had a good day. I'm really tired after everything that happened, so I won't be able to really pray tonight. But I ask that the holy father will continue to watch over me during this time and guide me to the right path. Amen.

* * *

With a yawn, Akira closed the journal, shortly stretching. The sound of a door closing quietly caught his attention, earning a nod of understanding.

After locking up in his pajamas, Akira plopped onto his bed with a heavy sigh, struggling to keep his eyes open when another yawn escaped him.

 _I'm so tired…,_ Akira groaned, hooking his phone up to the charger. _Maybe it's because of all that weird stuff that's been happening to me… Well, whatever._

Lifting up his covers and curling up underneath them, he closed his eyes and quickly gave in to the seductive empress of the night.

Akira's eyes snapped open, the sound of rattling chains waking him. He groaned as he sat up, his back aching for some reason. The familiar pain… the black and white striped uniform… the rattling of chain…

 _Am I…?_ Akira pursed his lips as he looked over, instantly locking eyes with the platinum-blonde twins.

"...About time you've come to. On your feet, Inmate!" Caroline barked, smacking the cell bars. Akira groaned as he ran his hands through his hair.

Justine tilted her head slightly to the side, speaking with her same monotone voice, "Our master wishes to speak with you. It's for your own sake that you take his words to heart."

Akira massaged his face as he stood up, his hands making their way to the back of his head. Once he reached the cell door, the twins turned around to face their master, Igor; Akira resting his arm on the closest horizontal bar, his forearm and hands dangling outside the cell.

Igor grinned at the casual air wafting from his guest, immediately starting with, "First off, let us celebrate our reunion."

"I'll pass," Akira immediately replied. His eyes narrowed as he shifted his weight to his right leg. He had some theories and wanted some answers. "The things that happened to me today at the castle… That was part of my rehabilitation towards freedom, wasn't it?" Igor simply smiled, his eyebrows arched up with amusement.

"Well, your accusations aren't far from the truth… But first, allow me to see into your heart," Igor chuckled with amusement, stretching his hand out to Akira. Akira blinked in confusion before suddenly feeling a ripping sensation from the corner of his eyes; the sensation quickly forming to the front of his face. A pained scream escaped him as the sensation grew, the mask that formed on him back at the castle dripping blood as it floated towards Igor. Akira stepped away from the cell door, gripping his face with shuddered breaths as he patted the skin tenderly, making sure that it was still intact with his body. Once he was sure that his face wasn't actually ripped off, he looked up with watering eyes, just in time to see the bloody mask mutate into a tarot card; swiftly sliding between Igor's twitching fingers.

Igor's smile stretched even further at what the card read, his smallpurpils practically twinkling with amusement. With a tame, but still mused voice, chuckled, "Oh…? You've awakened to your powers. And _special_ ones at that. Your rehabilitation can finally begin."

Akira rubbed underneath his nose with his sleeve, muttering, "My powers...? Wait, rehabilitation? So that castle wasn't part of it?"

"I said no such thing," Igor chuckled, writing notes into the blank book that laid bare before him. "There is no need to understand it all for the time being. You will be training the power of Persona, which you have awakened to."

"Persona… Isn't that Latin for mask?" He recalled thinking the very same word back when he summoned Arsene from deep within after their pact had been forged.

"Indeed. They are, simply put, an armor of the heart when confronting worldly matters." Igor's pupils somehow managed to shrink even smaller with excitement, a low coo escaping him. "I have _high_ expectations for you."

Akira glared at the strange man, licking his teeth in annoyance and slight panic. Igor chuckled, instantly taking note of the of the frustration.

"There is no need to worry. You will learn when the time comes," he reassured. "By the by… have you come to appreciate the Metaverse Navigator? Using it will allow you to come and go between reality and Palaces."

"So that _was_ your doing…" Akira huffed. Ever since he tried to delete that strange app for the second time and after the first meeting with this circus, he speculated that it was their doing. After all, its logo was just as strange looking as they all were.

"I bestowed it to you as a means to train you as a thief."

"I don't wanna be a thief or have a persona. Get rid of them!"

Caroline smacked a nightstick to the cell door, causing Akira to flinch in surprise. "The Metaverse Navigator is a gift from our master! You better take care in using it, Inmate!"

"I just said to get rid of them!" Akira growled.

Justine looked over her shoulder to Akira, simply stating, "Devote yourself to your training so that you may become a fine thief."

Akira's left eyebrow twitched as he grabbed the cell bars, shaking them a little in anger. "Are you even listening to me?!"

"It must be disheartening to make use of the Metaverse Navigator alone," Igor began, causing Akira to flinch and look up. "Should there be others who would prove beneficial to you, I will grant it to them as well. This is all for you to grow as a most excellent thief…"

Akira's eyes flared with rage as he gripped the bars harder, about to threaten the Frankenstein of a human, when a bell suddenly began to ring, echoing within the empty prison.

"Hmph, it's time," Caroline huffed, turning around to face Akira. "Go back and enjoy whatever rest you might have..."

Just like last time, Akira suddenly began to feel his legs giving out from under him, his eyelids quickly shutting. Without even a chance to fight, he lost conscious once again, the world fading black.

April, 12th. Tuesday

Akira ruffled his hair as he walked down the stairs, the clattering of dishwares and the smell of sausage wandering in the air. Just like yesterday, Sojiro had arrived and the kitchen was filled with steam.

Before Akira could even greet him, he simply instructed, "Eat." He placed a plate of sausage, eggs, and fried rice down in front of him. Akira blinked in surprise before nodding, taking a seat in front of the plate of food. Glancing up, Akira noticed that Sojiro was cooking curry, which was the reason for the steam. Did he make the food in a hurry or was it leftovers?

Sojiro glanced at Akira, click his tongue. "If I get any calls saying you skipped even _one_ class today, you can forget coming back here. Understand?"

Akira blinked in surprise, shortly nodding in reply. A cold silence filled the room as Sojiro pulled out today's newspaper, folding it accordingly to read it with one hand.

Akira glanced over at the door, seeing the tears fall quietly from the sky. It was a perfect representation of his feelings, honestly. Down in the dumps and ready to shed tears of mixed emotions. He let out a sigh and uttered a thanks for the meal. Picking up the spoon and scooping up a small amount of rice, he took a bite. A small smile wiggled from his lips, pleased by the simple yet bold flavors. It was a simple meal, but each component flattered itself to the extreme, making it almost fit for the President.

"...'sh good," Akira complimented quietly, as he swallowed the food. Sojiro glanced at the lad for a second, noting the rather goofy expression on his face as he ate. He hummed in reply, returning to his newspaper.

Once Akira finished, he said farewell and promptly left for school, changing the sign from closed to open.

Similar to yesterday, the train ride was tight and horrendous. The people within his vicinity were talking about the latest subway accident, much to his displeasure. Shaking his head, he pulled out his phone and opened a visual novel. He wasn't a big fan of them for cell phones (since they often didn't reach his standards) but it was better to play them than to listen to others talk about a subway accident while _on_ one.

He soon arrived to Aoyama-Itchome, walking up the stairs with his umbrella up. As he passed by the store that kept him dry yesterday, a faint pink dusted his cheeks as he thought about the girl. He pinched the ends of his bangs in thought, deciding to try and talk to her this time. He blinked in realization and sighed, recalling the whispers from the girls. They thought he was checking her out… If he tried to talk to her, they'd think he was hitting on her.

 _Guess that's a no go…_ , Akira hummed. _Man, it's just like back home. I can't do shit without people thinking badly of me. So much for making friends this year… Whatever._

The rest of the walk was uneventful; however he didn't catch a glimpse of Ryuji yet. Not that he was surprised. With everything he said yesterday, it only made sense that he'd keep his distance. A sharp pain poked through Akira's heart, sad that things had to turn out this way. But it soon passed as he arrived at Shujin Academy, students keeping a distance from him as they passed by.

Akira stopped in its track as he stared quizzically at the building before him. Cautiously, he pulled out his phone and unlocked it, swiping to the page with the 'gift' Igor lent him—the Metaverse Navigator. Thinking back on it, he remembered how his phone kept vibrating while talking about Kamoshida. It was still frozen after he opened up the Metaverse.

Akira slowly moved his thumb above the app, curiosity daring him to activate it. _I wonder..._

He suddenly let out a gasp when his phone began buzzing. It was the alarm he made last night, reminding him to get his textbooks. He huffed out an embarrassed sigh, dismissing it.

 _That's right, I can't afford to mess around. Focus on your goal, Aki_ , he reminded himself. He rushed up the stairs, switched his outdoor shoes with his indoors, and made his way to the library. It wasn't very fun as he had to work hard in blocking out the oozing whispers insulting his name.

Upon arriving at the library, Akira was rather surprised to see a good number of students sitting at the tables with books or typing away at the computers. With how much they gossiped, he thought no one actually studied.

"Excuse me, I'm here to get my textbooks," Akira whispered as he approached the librarian. She looked up from her computer and flashed a friendly smile. It was contagious enough to crack a small one on Akira's face.

"Certainly! Did you miss them yesterday?" she asked, extending a hand to him. Akira nodded shyly, pulling out his ID and handing it over. She giggled and nodded. The librarian's smile quickly turned into a look of surprise upon reading his name, blinking a few times. Glancing up at him once, she looked away and cleared her throat, typing something into the computer. With a few clicks, she printed out a piece of paper and handed it—along with the ID—to Akira.

"My assistant accidentally returned a few of your books to their bookshelves. I've already checked them out under your name, so once you find them you can just go on to class. They're over there—just look for these codes," she instructed. With a small smile, she handed him two fairly thick textbooks and nodded. "Here is your math and social studies set. If you damage them, please come see me right away, okay?"

Akira bowed in thanks, stuffed the two textbooks into his bag, and made his way over to the bookshelves. It was fairly easy to find his set, as the bookshelves were easily separated between student copies and library copies. The student copy sections were more or less empty, only holding three books max per shelf. He quickly found his remaining textbooks and swiftly stuffed them into his bag.

Walking out of the aisle and towards the door, he noticed a girl struggling to grab a book from the very top shelf. Her back was facing him, so he didn't get a good look at her charms, but he could tell that she was an interesting one with her attire alone and the way her short brown hair perfectly bounced. Looking up, he pinpointed which book she was reaching for and grabbed it, earning a soft gasp. Without looking at the book or the girl's face when she turned around, he placed it on her head before walking off. He didn't want to be even a _milo-second_ late in fear of being homeless.

Striding down the hall, he caught a glimpse of bright, dyed, blonde hair walking up the flight of stairs to the room. Carelessly, Akira took his eyes off of what was in front of him. His body soon crashes into another, earning a grunt from the other party. Akira jerked his head forward, realizing that he bumped into a short girl with long, straight black hair; blue headphones dangling from her neck. Surprised, he kneels down and grabs her gently by the elbow, raising her to her feet.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention," Akira apologized, letting go of the girl. He could hear students that witnessed the interaction whispering about him, causing him to avert his gaze. Keeping his head down, not looking once at the girl he bumped into or allowing her to even reply to his apology, briskly makes his way to class.

Entering the room, the first thing Akira noticed was the model girl sitting in her seat, her face radiating with hostility. It was quite captivating and refreshing for him as all the faces of their peers wore expressions of exhaustion and fear. He quickly took his seat and continued playing his visual novel. Homeroom wasn't that bad—in fact, Akira found himself being praised for being on time and having his textbooks today. Of course, that praise was short and not exactly well received by his classmates.

When it was time for the first class of the day, Akira was rather intrigued by the appearance of his teacher. He was a tall gentlemen with some extra meat on his bones, his tan skin covered by a dress shirt, overalls, and a blue tie. His head was rather tall and squarish, dark hair and matching eyes which were amplified by his large square glasses accompanying his head. Akira pulled out his schedule. It was social studies. He pulled out his textbook and assigned notebook, ready to get it all over with.

After greetings. class officially began with the teacher introducing himself. "I'm the social studies teacher, Mr. Ushimaru. I'll be teaching you the rules of society this year."

Akira quickly found himself bored of the teacher and let out a quiet sigh, turning his attention to the window. There was something about his tone and low but nasally voice that just rubbed him the wrong way. Like he would openly insult the students after looking at them…

"Hey, new kid," Ushimaru suddenly called out. Akira flinched, jerking his head to the front of the class. A part of him was freaking out as he was thinking of rather… _unpleasant_ nicknames. He feared that he accidentally said them aloud.

"Y-Yes, sir!" Akira stuttered, pushing up his glasses.

Ushimaru placed a hand on his hip. "The Greek philosopher Plato divided the human soul into three parts—"

"Appetite, spirit, and logic!" Akira blurted out, accidentally interrupting him; his eyes sparkling with excitement. "That's Plato's tripartite theory, in which our brains act as the logic, our heart the spirit, and our digestive system as the appetite! Of course, they have more meaning and don't exactly represent those organs, but—"

Akira flinched as he realized that he was speaking too much. Everyone was looking at him, even the model girl—Takamaki, he found out during roll call—was looking at him.

A bright red covered his face as he looked down, muttering a shy, "...w-well, that doesn't matter…"

"You seem to know a lot about Plato!" Ushimaru smiled, clapping. He seemed pleased overall, with perhaps a pinch of annoyance for being interrupted. "You answered the question I was about to ask. You're correct. Plato's teacher, Socrates, said that evil is born from ignorance. People who've been babied, taught that evil is due to individuality, can only become society's scum."

The room quickly went abuzz with mixed reactions, but mainly with amazement. No one was expecting a delinquent with a criminal record to be so smart. Just the fact that he was even attending class right now was surprising.

"Wow, he got it right… Is he really a delinquent?"

"He seems like a punk, but maybe he's actually serious about studying?"

Akira rubbed the back of his neck and rotated his head shyly, his blush deepening. He wasn't used to the positive attention. And he certainly didn't think that his reputation would go up a little so soon.

 _Maybe this won't be so hard after all,_ Akira thought as a small smile broke out.

"Show off," a student coughed, earning a few accompanying chuckles. Akira blinked, his blush and smile quickly vanishing. He pursed his lips together into a frown, looking back out the window.

The school day droned on, but eventually it did end. While Akira packed his things, Kawakami approached him and asked how his day went. The exchange was small and simple, but necessary. Especially with everything that happened yesterday.

Akira politely excused himself once they finished talking and walked out the classroom. He wasn't prepared to see Takamaki and Kamoshida talking with each other openly in the middle of the hallway.

"That's why I asked you out in the first place," Kamoshida began, causing Akira's eyes to widen. He glanced around nervously, turning around as he began fumbling with his pockets. "Oh, and… be careful around that transfer student. He's got a criminal record, after all. If something were to happen to you…"

Akira pulled out his mother's handkerchief with a frown, unappreciative of Kamoshida's warning. Graving the embroidery once with his thumb, he returned it to his pocket and looked down as he walked past the two, pretending to check his phone to avoid being spotted.

After switching shoes with an annoyed heart, he stepped out the front doors and instantly noticed a familiar blond delinquent leaning against the gates. Akira blinked as he walked over to Ryuji, who finally took notice of his peer.

"Yo," Ryuji greeted with a carefree smile as Akira stopped beside him. Akira blinked, rather surprised that he had the balls to talk to him again after everything he said yesterday. A part of him actually wanted to reply in a similar tone. But he managed to refrain himself and look down at his feet instead.

"...I thought I told you to stay away," Akira muttered as he began to walk forward past him. But before his foot could even make it past the gate, Ryuji grabbed his shoulder and pulled.

"Listen to me for a sec, would ya? No one's looking at us," Ryuji pointed out, pointing his chin over to the group of students that were busy socializing at the top of the stairs. Akira looked over at the group before returning to Ryuji. He was almost… _moved_ that Ryuji is actually taking his words to heart. At the same time, though, it made him feel even more guilty. It just proved that Ryuji was a good guy and someone who Akira would like to know better. "I wanna talk about that castle from yesterday."

Akira scanned his face, taking note of the serious expression. He stayed quiet as Ryuji crossed his arms over his chest, continuing, "I tried tellin' myself it was a dream...but I couldn't. I can't act like nothing happened. It's all connected to that bastard Kamoshida, after all."

Akira remained silent, taking in the anger he saw brewing within the delinquent. Ryuji stuffed his thumbs into his pockets, shifting his weight to his good leg. "I wanna find out what's up with that place, no matter what. And y'know, you're the only person I can rely on for this stuff. So, you in?"

There was a moment of silence between the two teens, Akira glasses glaring despite the dark clouds above them.

"...It'll be dangerous, y'know," Akira warned, his voice steady and emotionless. A shiver went down Ryuji's spine, the ominous aura surrounding the plain looking student. He considered those glasses to be almost magic, with the way the conceal Akira's charming features and also make him appear ominous.

"It won't be dangerous if you're with me, kicking ass with that persona or whatever it was called," Ryuji pointed out, shifting his weight once again to show he wasn't going anywhere. His eyes said it all. It was clear that going back to that castle and dealing with that King Kamoshida was important to him.

The silence grew, both teens staring each other down to intimidate the other. Akira was against going to the castle again. It was another part of Igor's 'rehabilitation'. Something that would only strengthen his powers and his ability to go beyond reality. He didn't want that. He wanted a normal school year. An _easy_ school year. He couldn't be bothered with helping a delinquent of all people and the fantasy world that he was aparentally chosen to venture in and challenge the factors within.

But he couldn't say find it within himself to say no. Not when he knew that Ryuji would simply try to go himself and, more than likely, go insane or even hurt himself.

With a sigh, Akira grumbled, "Tornilyo 'to… Fine, ok, I'm in."

Ryuji smiled in victory while rotating his right shoulder, "Sweet! Looks like I managed to talk some sense into you!"

Akira clicked his tongue and stuffed his hands into his blazer pockets. "So, what's next?"

"I think we should just try and retrace our steps from yesterday."

Akira sighed and nodded, one hand fumbling with his handkerchief while the other held his phone. The two walked all the way over to the station where they first bumped into each other. When they tried to confirm the path they took to the school, the whole plan seemed… foolish. Akira wasn't paying attention the entire walk, and because of the pain Ryuji endured yesterday, he didn't have the best memory of it all himself. But, they already made it this far, so there was no going back. They managed to regain their determination and made their way back to the school.

As they walked together, Ryuji told Akira to speak up if he saw anything remotely strange. Akira found himself relaxed beside the delinquent, comforted by the thought of how Ryuji really didn't seem like a bad guy and was really friend material. Of course, those feelings instantly vanished each time they saw students from their school. Thanks to Ryuji's understanding, however, they would hide before they were noticed for the sake of Akira's reputation. Guilt would swell up within him for a moment, but Ryuji didn't really seem to mind, releasing Akira of that sensation.

When they arrived to the street Shujin Academy stood, they both noted how everything seemed normal. Nothing had changed and there wasn't a single castle in sight. The revelation seemed to confuse Ryuji, but he showed no signs of giving up. They decided to try again, but the conclusion was the same.

No castle.

"For real?" Ryuji sighed. Akira rubbed the back of his neck and sighed as well.

"Let's take a break. Maybe think it over," he suggested. Ryuji hesitated for a moment before caving in, leaning against the stoned wall in front of the school, slugging his bag over his shoulder.

"Is it smaller than we think it is?" Ryuji asked, scratching his head. It just didn't make sense to him. "I checked my phone to see if there was any update on it or something, but no dice…"

 _Well, yeah, because it's a fantasy castle…_ , Akira thought to himself, averting his gaze to the stairs beside him. It had gotten rather late, the front ground completely empty of students. Only the sounds of the sports teams practicing showed sign of people attending here.

"Hey… That reminds me—didn't you have some kind of navigation app thingy on back then?" Ryuji suddenly asked. Akira looked back at him and blinked with a blank look.

"Huh?" He honestly didn't hear Ryuji's question.

Ryuji pushed himself off the stone wall and stretched his limp leg with a kick. "I dunno if it was or not, but I heard stuff that sounded like it comin' from your phone. Didn't it say stuff like 'returned to the real world' or something like that?"

Akira blinked, putting together what he was talking about. He adjusted his bag and pulled out his phone, staring at the blank screen for a moment. He didn't know how the Metaverse Navigator worked entirely nor if the castle was saved in its history. But he knew that it was the portal key to enter the castle again. He didn't bring it up when they started this waste of time simply because of that.

"Lemme see your phone for a bit. Don't be weird about it," Ryuji said, extending his hand out. Akira glanced up at Ryuji, licking his front teeth behind his closed lips with hesitation, before unlocking his phone and handing it to him.

Ryuji's serious expression quickly face broke into a grin at what he saw. "Wow, man. I never woulda guessed that you were a full blown otaku. Honestly thought you'd be a bookworm or somethin'."

Akira blushed as he pouted a bit defensively, pushing up his glasses. "It's not like I'm _only_ into that stuff… I like a lot of things. You shouldn't judge a book by its cover."

A chuckle escaped from Ryuji's lips as began browsing through the apps, shortly followed by full blown laughter. Akira blinked in surprise, pushing up his glasses again.

"W-What's so funny?"

Ryuji struggled to breathe as he kept laughing, leaning on to the stone wall to keep him standing upright. Tears were starting to form in his eyes as he struggled to take a breath, a finger shakily pointing to an app on his screen.

"Dude, I'm losing it, holy crap…! Not _only_ do you play Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector, you have it in a _cat-customized_ folder titled 'Cat Heaven'!"

Akira's face exploded with embarrassment as Ryuji doubled over, holding himself up by holding his knees.

Akira's glasses fogged up from his embarrassment, sweat dripping from his face. Pulling his glasses off and wiping them with a shy scowl, he stammered, "S-Shut up, i-it's a cute game, okay?! T-There's nothing w-wrong with collecting and c-caring for cats o-on my phone!"

"Sure, but the folder thing is a little over the top, ain't it?"

"N-No it's not! How can my pets relax if they're not set in a good home?!"

Ryuji's legs nearly gave out as he wiped the tears from his eyes, Akira's charming face covered with a flustered red simply making the whole situation _way_ more entertaining to him. Perhaps it was because the guy was so complex, seeing this sincere side of him was just plain amusing. And the fact that he cared about the digital pets was so wholesome, though a little weird. Ryuji knew that it was too good to pass up.

"Whatever you say, man!" Ryuji breathed with a goofy smile as Akira put his glasses back on. Akira puffed out his red cheeks and walked over to the otherside of the gate. Ryuji grinned at that before focusing on finding the navigation app. His grin gradually dissolved into frown as he stopped at a strange red app. "What's this eyeball-lookin' thing?"

Akira said nothing as Ryuji's actions cut him off from actually saying anything. But also mainly because he was still pouty about being teased for the cat game.

"...Oh wait, this is it! I knew it—it IS a navigation app! It even has your search history! Oh man, I'm such a genius!" Ryuji grinned triumphantly at his blank expressioned partner. Pushing himself off the stone wall once again, he waved Akira over to him. "Let's try it out!"

Akira's face perked with slight interest as he stood next to Ryuji, shyly admitting, "But… I don't know how."

"Then I'll do it," he replied simply. With a few taps on the screen, Ryuji quickly made his way around the app, and pulled up the information it used yesterday to find the castle. The app began listing off relevant things like 'Kamoshida' and 'pervert', shortly announcing that it was about to begin navigation.

"There we go!" Ryuji chirped. Akira looked up at the school as Ryuji continued muttering things to himself.

 _Alright, Igor… How does your 'chosen one' exit reality and enter the distorted fantasy,_ Akira wondered. He was ready for anything.

A familiar sharp pain resonated within his head—just like yesterday before the boys even began to make their way to school.

"What the hell...!?" Ryuji choked as he grabbed his head, witnessing the red eye from the Metaverse Navigator's logo to cloud Akira phone screen, buzzing violently as it glowed a bright red. Ryuji turned to the school as their vision began to warp with black and red circles, the school gradually meshing with color and transforming into the castle.

 _So that's it…_ , Akira concluded, his eyes narrowing. Ryuji, stunned by the appearance, unconsciously stuffed Akira's phone into his pocket had ran towards the entrance, his partner following suit.

"We made it back.. That means everything that happened yesterday was for real, too.." Ryuji muttered to himself as he stopped in front of the large castle doors. He turned and jumped at the sight of Akira.

"...Those clothes!" he exclaimed.

Akira hummed as he blinked, looking down at himself. He gasped in surprise, examining the attire. A smug grin came across his face, imagining himself in the outfit. The material was nice and soft and fit just right. He couldn't resist a chuckle as he stretched.

"That happened last time, right?! What's with that outfit?" Ryuji placed his hands to his hips as he continued to stare at his friend.

Noticing this, Akira grinned, finger gunning Ryuji and cooed, "You jelly, bro?"

Ryuji felt a blush creep to his cheeks as he just so happened to be thinking how cool Akira looked and how he wanted his own set as well. He brushed his nose with his thumb, looking away for a second. "I-I ain't jealous! I'm just confused is all! Like… This makes no effin' sense at all."

"Hey!"

The boys turned their attention to the side of the castle, where a familiar voice had called out to them. Ryuji gasped as he got into an aggressive stance, a light pink tinging Akira's cheeks as he suppressed a pleased smile.

The cartoon cat waddled over to the boys with a glare, whispering, "Stop making a commotion."

"It's you!" Ryuji squeaked.

 _Yay!,_ Akira internally squealed as he squatting down to be at eye level with Morgana.

"The Shadows started acting up, so I came here wondering what it could be," he began. A confused frown tugged at his hips as he crossed his arms over his chest. "...TO think you guys would come back to the entrance when you barely managed to escape."

Ryuji unconsciously copied Akira and squatted down as well. "What is this place? Is it the school?"

"That's right."

"But it's a castle!"

"This castle _IS_ the school… But only to this castle's ruler."

Ryuji scratched his head, raising a brow. "The castle's ruler…?"

Morgana looked over to Akira, noticing the blank stare accompanied with rosey cheeks. "I think you called him Kamoshida? It's basically how his distorted heart views the school."

Akira nodded absently, mesmerized by the adorable features of the creature talking to him. Besides, he was already aware of the basics regarding the castle. Ryuji, on the other hand was having difficulty understanding it.

"Kamoshida… Distorted...?" he repeated. He shook his head and glared at Morgana. "Explain it in a way that makes sense!"

"I shouldn't have expected a moron to get it…" Morgana sighed, rolling his eyes.

"What'd you say!?"

Suddenly, the scream of man in agony echoed from within the castle, Akira snapping back to reality and jumping up to his feet.

Ryuji feel on his butt in surprise, looking around frantically. "What was that?!"

Morgana stretched, not distressed by the cry at all, and simply guessed, "It must be the slaves captive here."

"For real?"

Another scream echoed from the castle, as if answering on Morgana's behalf.

"Oh, shit… It's for real!"

"Those people we saw kept in cages yesterday…Do you think they're from the school?" Akira suddenly asked, pinching his chin.

Ryuji's eyes widened at the idea, slowly nodding after giving it some thought. "Y-Yeah… I'm pretty sure."

"Most likely on Kamoshida's orders," Morgana added. "It's nothing out of the ordinary; it's like that everyday here. But since you two managed to escape yesterday, he must have lost his temper quite a bit."

Ryuji gritted his teeth as he stood up, growling, "That son of a bitch…! This is bullshit!"

Akira stared at Ryuji blankly, taking in his tone and attitude. The hatred he feels towards the teacher ran deep… and Akira had a guess as to what formed it. Ryuji suddenly ran up to the castle doors and body slammed into it.

"You hear me, Kamoshida?!" Ryuji shouted.

Morgana shook his head with a sigh, saying, "Doing that isn't going to open it, you know…"

Ryuji whipped around with a scowl, stomping over to him. "Hey, Monamona!"

"It's _Morgana_!"

"Whatever! Do you know where those voices are comin' from?"

"You want me to _take_ you to them?" Morgana was a little baffled at the request. Akira shared the same feelings, stuffing his covered hands into his coat pockets. Morgana looked over to Akira with a hesitant expression. "...Well, I guess I _could_ guide you there. But only if he comes with us."

Akira glanced at Morgana then over at Ryuji. He really didn't sign up for this… But he knows that Ryuji was going to throw a fit about it if he declined.

Scratching the back of his head, Akira sighed. "Alright, fine… Let's go."

Morgana hopped in approval, the pink returning to Akira's cheeks. "It's settled then."

"For real?!" Ryuji exclaimed with a smile. He looked over at Akira, gratitude in his eyes. He knew that Akira didn't agree to anything after the idea of revisiting the castle. Which meant that he was doing this purely for Ryuji's sake. He knew he owed him big time. "...Thanks man."

Akira nodded, flashing a small smile.

"All right, let's do this," Morgana grinned. He was starting to feel excitement. "I'll show you the infiltration point. Not barging in through the entrance is one of the basics of phantom thievery. Follow me!"

Ryuji quickly followed suit after, Akira watching his partners in crime. He eyed Ryuji's limp, recalling the words Kamoshida mocked.

 _There's no doubt… That's the reason for his hate,_ Akira thought. _If that's the case… I can't let it slide. Kamoshida will need to be stopped. Who knows how many more students he's hurting._

Akira blinked as he noticed a rectangular shape outlined in his pocket and rushed after the duo, shouting, "Hey, Sakamoto-san! Gimmie back my phone!"


	7. Entry 7: Ryuji's Awakening

"Why ain't anyone here…?"

Akira and Morgana stood behind Ryuji, his eyes wide as sweat trickled down his face. The trio had made their way down to the cells, where Akira and Ryuji were kept yesterday; quietly taking out Shadows that they came across. The trip barely took five minutes.

 _So why… Why is there no one here?!_ Ryuji gritted his teeth, fists rolling up in anger. The cell he stood in front of was empty… And so were all the others.

He spun around and glared at Morgana, barking, "They were here before! Where'd they go?!"

"Quiet down!" Mogana barked back.

Ryuji clicked his tongue and looked around, shortly gasping in realization. "Oh, yeah, there were more of 'em further in!"

Without even a second though, he dashed down the hall, leaving Morgana and Akira. Akira sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He looked over to Morgana, who was facing the cell they were in front of once again.

Thinking aloud, he muttered, "They might have been transferred already…"

Akira hummed, a cold sweat rolling down his back. He had a feeling that being 'transferred' wasn't exactly a good thing.

"Guys!" Ryuji huffed, running towards his friends. His expression said it all: danger. "I can hear footsteps comin'! Lots of 'em!

Morgana clicking his tongue as he whispered, "It would be a problem if they discovered us now…!"

Akira walked over to the nearest door and pressed his ear against it. Nothing. Looking over to Morgana, he asked, "Can we hide in here? I don't hear anything inside."

Morgana ran up to the door and sniffed it, shortly nodding in approval. Akira nodded back and pulled Ryuji to him, the trio quickly entering the room. Inside looked nothing special-a table with benches connected to it, an overhead hanging lamp with a purple flame above it, and some minor decorative interior was all that was inside. It honestly looked like a medieval break room.

Morgana ran up to the table and stood on top of it, making him chest height to the boys. "The Shadows probably won't come in here."

Ryuji was holding himself up by holding his knees, slowly hobbling over to the bench in front of him. He placed both school bags down on the table with a huff. Since Akira was fighting alongside Morgana, Ryuji was assigned as the bag guy. Despite the name, Akira made sure that Ryuji knew how important the job was, and if he messed up; there would be some displeasure.

Having just ran, Ryuji's breathing was uneven and heavy. "How can… you tell?"

"There's a lack of distortion here, meaning the ruler's control over this area is weak."

Akira leaned against the wall beside the door, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "It's probably a classroom then-one that's out of Kamoshida's field."

"A classroom…?" Ryuji repeated, his eyes widening. He had slowly been trying to wrap his mind around the idea of the castle being an illusion of Kamoshida's heart. While he had a better understanding now in comparison to when they stood at the castle gate, he was still struggling to get a good grip on it. The classroom guess that Akira made, however, seemed to have really made a few dots click.

"Now do you understand?" Morgana asked, noticing Ryuji's expression. "This place is another reality that the ruler's heart projects."

"This is… Kamoshida's reality?" Ryuji ruffled his hair in annoyance and groaned. "Shit makes no sense at all!"

Akira couldn't help but snort with a grin, quickly hiding it as he avoided Morgana's gaze. For some reason, Ryuji seemed to only understand the situation they were in when _Akira_ tried to explain it. Whenever _Morgana_ tries, it only made him confuses him and all the progress he makes disappears. When the duo first noticed it, Akira made a careless joke of how he seemed to be a better phantom thief teacher than Morgana. Not only was Morgana a bit upset at that remark, Akira was as well. After all, he didn't want any of this.

"One could say it's a world in which one's distorted desires have materialized," Morgana continued to try and explain. "I call such a place a 'Palace'."

"A Palace…?" Ryuji repeated. Akira jerked his head to Morgana, eyes widened.

 _Palace? Is he an employee of Igor?_ Akira wondered, his curiosity reaching its max. He frowned, looking away. _Nah, can't be. Morgana is way cuter than the kink twins and honker. Maybe he's just calling it that because this is literally a Palace._

"This is happening because he thinks the school is his own castle," Morgana explained.

Akira raised a brow, hearing muffled voices from the other side of the door. Leaning over, he pressed his ear against it as Morgana continued.

"Hm, I thought I just heard something move over there… Guess it was my imagination…"

"And what of the slaves?"

"They're all in the training hall.. I'd assume they're screaming in pain by now."

"Very well. By the way, I heard we may have intruders around. Stay on your guard."

 _Training hall, huh?_ Akira hummed as he heard the clattering of armor pitter-patter off.

"That son of a bitch!" Ryuji suddenly shouted, his anger fuming in the room.

Morgana's ears twitched nervously as he placed his paws on his hip. "You must really hate this Kamoshida guy."

" _Hate_ doesn't even _cover_ how I feel. _Everything_ is that asshole's fault!"

Morgana's ears flattened as he looked away with an interesting emotion flaring in his big, blue eyes. "I don't know what happened between you two, but don't let your emotions get the better of you. His lackeys are everywhere inside."

Akira sighed and tugged at his red gloves, leaning back on the wall. With Ryuji flaring up like this, he knew that he had no choice but to fight any dangers that came their way. Akira tilted his head a bit in realization, recalling how his clothes transformed onto him yesterday when there was a threat. Why was it just on him 24/7 now?

"You're curious about your outfit, aren't you?" Morgana suddenly asked. Akira blinked and looked up.

"Huh? Oh, uh… A little," Akira admitted, sheepishly. He then jerked his thumb at Ryuji, who was starting to calm down. "Though, this guy is a lot more curious about it than me. He's mega jealous."

Ryuji blushed and crossed his arms over his chest, huffing, "I said I ain't jealous!"

"That's also because of this world," Morgana began. A groan escaped Ryuji. "Anything distorts according to how a ruler pleases within his Palace. A school can turn into a castle like this, after all. In order to _prevent_ such distortions, one must hold a powerful will of rebellion."

Ryuji raised a brow in confusion, blankly staring at Morgana. Everything he was saying went in one ear and out the next. Akira, on the other hand, was also staring at Morgana with a blank expression. But he was understanding every syllable to its core.

"Your appearance is a manifestation of that. It's the image of rebellion that you hold within."

Ryuji rustled his hair, groaning once again in frustration. "I'm so fed up with all this! I'm more curious about _you_ thanks his clothes! What the hell are you, anyways!?"

 _An adorable creature that I love,_ Akira thought to himself, a pleased expression forming.

Morgana, however, wasn't very pleased with the question. Stomping his hind leg on the table, he huffed, "I'm a _human_ -an honest-to-god human!"

"No, you're obviously more like a _cat_."

Morgan's tail stiffened, shortly looking away. "This is, well… I-It's because I lost my _true_ form… I think."

Ryuji and Akira exchanged confused glances and in sync repeated, "You _think_?"

Morgana brushed their confusion aside and grinned, explaining, "But I _do_ know how to regain my true form. The reason why I sunk in here was for a preliminary investigation of those means."

Akira hummed in curiosity, now understanding why Morgana was assisting them. He was captured by Kamoshida's guards and possibly even tortured. He had the same goal as Ryuji: to make Kamoshida pay.

"So you have amnesia… but also ya don't. Ugh, what is this, a comic book? This is seriously crazy," Ryuji sighed, his brain giving out at the complexity of it all.

Akira pushed himself off the wall and ran his fingers through his hair. "I think those Shadow guards are long gone by now. We should keep going."

Morgana nodded. "Agreed. I'll be counting on your skills, okay, rookie?"

Ryuji patted Akira's shoulder, giving him a thumbs up. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna force it all on you. I thought it might help, so…"

Akira and Morgana blinked as they watched Ryuji pull something out of his bag. Akira flinched and slammed his back against the wall in surprise, gritting his teeth. Morgana simply let out a gasp of surprise.

"Whoa, shit! Don't point it at me!" Akira squeaked.

Ryuji had pulled out a gun by the handle, his finger resting on the trigger. Since he was showing it to Akira, he had pointed it at him, which resulted in Akira's reaction.

He raised a brow and smiled, reassuringly stating, "Relax! It's just a model gun, so it only makes sounds."

Akira heaved out a relieved sigh, placing a hand over his heart. "...Don't scare me like that, man."

Ryuji lowered the gun and chuckled nervously. "Sorry, sorry... Oh!" He pulled out a small first aid box from his bag with a cocky grin. "I also brought some bandages and stuff to patch up."

Morgana sighed. "So you were planning this from the start… Well, when you two are ready, we'll continue the infiltration."

Akira nodded and slowly opened the door, quietly checking the area to be sure. Once it was all clear, he gestured at the other two, and the three of them made their way down the hall.

At the end of the hall, Akira moved Ryuji closer to the wall as he and Morgana noticed a guard on duty. Ryuji looked over Akira's shoulder and looked to and fro his two other teammates.

"What, uh… What're we gonna do? Do we gotta fight it?" he asked.

"Seems so," Morgana replied. He didn't seem to excited about the idea. "Just don't let it notice you beforehand… If it does, those lackeys are going to be on higher alert."

Akira nodded, taking note of it. Ryuji seemed a little shaken by the idea though, his eyes widening.

"A-And what do we do if that happens? Run away?" Ryuji asked.

"Well, they're not very bright, so if we avoid fighting for a while; they'll probably forget about us."

Akira looked over his shoulder and nodded. "If I think it's too dangerous to continue, we're leaving. Got it?"

Ryuji opened his mouth to rebuttal, but he sighed and cave in. Even with his toy gun and first aid kit, he wasn't going to be much help. And even with Morgana assisting Akira, they struggled to properly protect Ryuji _and_ themselves. He really had no room to argue.

Akira quietly made his way towards the took a deep breath and ripped off his mask, summoning Arsene. Arsene dashed towards the oblivious Shadow and sliced its blue mask off, the Shadow gargling in surprise as its body mutated into two peculiar flower/root demons. Morgana quickly summoned Goro, the two Persona's quickly getting rid of the enemy.

Ryuji walked over to the duo as their persona's returned within, asking innocently, "Hey… What should we do if we bump into a group of enemies? Take 'em down?"

Akira scratched his head. "That wouldn't be smart… We still have a ways to go, so we'll need to conserve energy. Last thing I want is to pass out in this place."

Morgana nodded. "Of course, we won't be able to avoid all of the enemy encounters. So, we'll simply have to choose our battles wisely."

"Right… sorry," Ryuji apologized as he nodded slowly, a guilty frown tugging his lips. He wanted to be useful, but he wasn't sure how. It wasn't like he could just openly try and tackle the Shadows or act as a distraction. Akira wouldn't allow it. "Damnit, I wish I could fight... I'd at least be able to help out a little bit… But all I got is this dumb toy… I'm such a loser."

Akira looked over at the delinquent and patted his shoulder reassuringly. But that didn't really do much for the blonde. Morgana thought back to the toy gun and Akira's reaction… An idea coming to mind.

"Hey, Ryuji," Morgan called. "Let Frizzy Hair borrow the gun for a bit."

"Huh?" the two boys replied in sync.

"This is a cognitive world. As long as our opponent sees it as real, it becomes such."

"Oh… that makes sense. So basically I'll be able to bring down flying enemies, right? Since it's so real looking, they'll never see it comin'," Akira hummed, a grin twisting his lips.

Ryuji couldn't help but gasp, somehow being able to make sense out of that. Well, not really. All he heard was 'the toy gun might actually be useful', and that was honestly all he needed to hear. He knew that trying to argue about who had the gun would be pointless, so he pulled it out of his bag and handed it over to Akira.

The trio continued their way down the corridors, avoiding and ambushing enemies. Much to the teens surprise, as they had a little bit of doubt inside them, Morgan's little explanation about the gun being able to turn real was true. Akira managed to shoot real bullets, though his aim was a little off due to the surprise of the whole. It made him that much more nervous upon remembering Ryuji carelessly pointing it at him earlier.

"This it?" Akira asked as they entered a room. The sound of agonizing screams could be heard from the other side of the door that stood in front of them.

Morgana nodded as he approached it. "Seems like it."

Ryuji looked around the room, taking note of its bare interior. What caught his eye the most was the obnoxious pink sign that hung above the door.

"Kamoshida's… Training Hall… of Love...?" he read aloud. His fists tightened in anger, spitting out the words he had just spoken, "What kinda bullshit is this!?"

Akira glanced at Ryuji's legs as a loud scream rang in his ears once again. His hypothesis was going to be finally answered. "Guess there's one way to find out."

He made his way to the door and opened it, cautiously, the screams becoming more defined. Perhaps it was because of the screams or maybe it was because of the sound of his anticipating heart, the hall seemed darker than the others and radiated a somewhat sinister yet terrifying atmosphere. Ryuji braced himself as he found himself the last to exit the door, his fighting comrades making their way across a bridge towards a metal fenced cage.

A soft gasp escaped Akira at what he saw past the metal fence, Morgana quietly glaring at the sight. A level below, they saw what could only be described as the definition of sport hell. Castle soldiers beating male students in red and white sport jerseys, all bearing the names of 'Slave' above their respective numbers. Akira placed a hand over his heart, breathing heavily through his nostrils. The sight was enough to make his blood boil with anger… and fear.

 _It's like looking at a bunch of me's,_ Akira thought as he gulped. He flinched and turned around-locking on Ryuji's distant figure that radiated a fume of anger and hatred. With eyes practically glowing red, Ryuji marched towards the fence door, surprising Morgana.

"Sakamoto-san," Akira whispered, hoping that it would somehow calm his peer. But it simply earned him a glance, Ryuji walking past him.

He stopped in front of the fence door and gripped the handle. With a low growl, he asked, "How do I open this?"

"Stop it…"

The trio blinked in surprise as a frail voice whimpered to them, a slave wearing shorts wobbling towards them, his head hung low with exhaustion. Having a good look at him, Akira noticed that he was covered in bandages and bruises.

"Leave us alone… It's useless…" the slave choked. Ryuji gasped, his hatred disappearing and instantly becoming confusion.

Another slave in long pants wobbled over to them, explaining, "If we stay obedient, we won't be executed like you guys…!"

Ryuji gritted his teeth and grabbed the door with both hands. "You're tellin' me you wanna _stay_ in a place like this?!"

Morgana jumped up to a nearby crate, eyes narrowing. "Wait a minute… Were you planning on taking these guys out of here?"

Ryuji flinched as he turned around, the two slaves wobbling away.

"We can't just _leave_ 'em here!" Ryuji's voice was dripping with emotions.

Morgana shook his head. "How stupid can you be…?"

"What!?"

"These are only humans in Kamoshida's _cognition_. They aren't real humans that have entered from reality. They're different from you two."

Ryuji arched a brow. "Cognition…?"

Morgana groaned, quickly becoming annoyed with how slow Ryuji was. Akira noticed the tone and looked at Ryuji, explaining, "They're not real-just Kamoshida's imagination, along with this castle."

Morgana nodded. "You could say that these are extremely similar looking dolls.

Ryuji looked back and forth between the two, scratching his head in annoyance. He managed to understand it, but it hurt his head. "So the school's a castle, and the students are slaves… Ugh, it's so on point that it makes me laugh. This really _is_ the inside of that asshole's head."

Ryuji sighed in frustration and rested the bags on the crate Morgana stood on. Morgana sat down on the edge, his short hide legs dangling.

 _Cute_ , Akira commented internally with a pleased smile.

"Still, this is horrible," the cat grimaced. "It must mean he treats them as slaves in the real world too."

"In the… real world, too?" Ryuji repeated. Looking back at the students, he gasped with widened eyes. "Wait, I know these guys! They're members of the volleyball team-the one Kamoshida coaches for!"

"They must be physically abused every day… There's no way they'd be so beat up normally."

"So… So then they're going through similar shit in reality?!"

"Most likely. I mean, this proves that Kamoshida thinks of them as slaves."

Ryuji lowered his head. "So it might be for real…? I-I heard that Kamoshida's usin' physical punishment. They're just rumors, but… If they're true, wouldn't this be somethin' to report to the police…?"

Akira glanced back at the students, the same question bothering him. He recalled the bits and pieces of the conversation he heard yesterday between Principal Kobayakawa and Kamoshida. Pinching his chin, he thought for a moment.

"...Huh? It's not workin'!?" Ryuji suddenly exclaimed, catching Akira's attention. Ryuji had pulled his phone, his eyes wide with surprise and confuse. "We can use the navigation app, but the camera's a no go!?"

Akira blinked, a simple "Huh?" escaping him. Ryuji looked at him and showed the error on his screen. Akira hummed, walking over to his bag and pulled out his own phone. Similar to Ryuji's, he couldn't open his camera.

"Whatever you do is fine," Morgana began as he hopped off the crate. "But we're gonna get caught if we stand around like this. We need to head back!"

Akira nodded and returned his phone to his bag. Ryuji stuffed his inside his pocket and stared intensely at the students.

"Hold on a sec… I'm gonna try and memorize their faces before goin' home!" Ryuji whispered. Akira stared at his determined peer for a moment, shortly walking down the hallway.

"I'll see if I can try and remember them too," Akira explained, feeling the confused stare on his back from Morgana. Ryuji blinked in surprise and looked at the dark haired boy, watching him walk further away with a steady walk. A grateful smile formed as he nodded silently in thanks.

As the two studied the faces of their peers, they found their hatred for Kamoshida growing. Between each training hall, the students were but blobs of exhaustion on the dirty stone floor. Aside from the beating, the duo found out that Kamoshida have been forcing his students to keep working without breaks, and even attacking them with volleyballs. With each cage they passed, Ryuji's anger reached a new level, his grip on the metal bars becoming tighter and tighter.

Morgana pestered the two to fasten the pace, as they were really cutting it close, but Ryuji couldn't bother with him. They did the best they could and, once done, hurried out of the hall.

"Hurry! We need to get out of here, quick!" Morgan ushered. Ryuji grabbed their bags as they hurried off, Akira taking the lead with the model gun on hand.

They managed escaped the hall unscaved, but it wasn't like that for long. They had overstayed their welcome, and now it seemed the shadows knew of their presence.

"Tch! We stayed too long. Come on, we gotta get out of here!" the cat whispered.

The group crept quietly out of the area, Morgana quickly taking the lead as they arrived at a flight of spiraling stairs. At the end of the stairway, the trio stopped in their track in a lavish room of red carpeting and extravagant chandeliers as a devil approached them.

"...You knaves again?" Kamoshida growled, his eyes narrowing in annoyance. "To think you'd make the same mistake twice. You're hopeless!"

Ryuji stepped forward with a snarl, shouting, "The school ain't your castle! I've memorized all their faces real good. You're going down!"

"It seems what they say is true: barking dogs seldom bite." The king laughed and let out a disappointed, mocking sigh. "Oh, how far the star runner of the track team has fallen."

Akira shot a glance at Ryuji's leg as the blonde growled. "The hell are you gettin' at!?"

"I speak of the 'Track Traitor' who acted in violence, ending his teammates' dreams. I can only imagine the pain they endured due to your… selfish act."

Ryuji's body stiffened as he groaned in pain, looking away. Akira took a step forward, Ryuji glancing at his direction,

"Track traitor?" Akira repeated. Ryuji didn't say anything to that, but the guilt that flashed in his eyes was a dead give away for comrade. He looked away, unable to bare it.

Kamoshida snickered with glee. "What a surprise. So you're accompanying him without knowing anything at all? He _betrayed_ his teammates and crushed their hopes of being something special. And look! He carries on as carefree as ever."

"That's not true!" Ryuji yelled, his voice straining with pain. There was no way… No way he could forget those disdainful eyes of his old teammates. The way their cold utterance stabbed him like icicles falling from a frozen cave. The way his mother… apologized so easily to the walking scum called teachers at the school.

Kamoshida saw the weakness in Ryuji and laughed, enjoying every second of the delinquent falling deeper and deeper into the abyss of depression. "You've come along with this fool and are now going to end up dead… How unlucky of you."

Akira walked in front of Ryuji, cracking his knuckles with a sinister grin. " _Huh_? Aren't you talking a little too highly? Dont'cha remember nearly pissin' yourself yesterday when I almost killed your ass? Or do you need a little _refresher_?"

A flicker of fear showed itself in the king's eyes, but he quickly turned around and waved a hand at the soldiers that stood behind him.

"Go. Kill them all. Don't sully my castle with garbage."

"Ryuji, move!" Morgana hissed. The delinquent gasped, having returned to reality, and stepped back as instructed. He glanced at Akira's back, a new knot forming within his stomach.

"Goddammit…" he muttered. The soldiers burst into monsterous black rams with unnatural green and black striped horns.

"I'll kill you! I'll kill you because King Kamoshida told us!" one of the Shadows screeched. Akira clicked his tongue and glared at it, recognizing the voice-even if it was distorted. It was the boring suit counselor that confronted Ryuji. "I'll kill you 'cause that's what he wants!"

Akira's eyes widen, something clicking in his head. He was so caught off guard by the sentence, that he found himself knocked down by the enemy. Akira managed to get the ram off him and turn to his stomach. Before he could stand, the ram slammed its hooves down on Akira's shoulders, earning a strained grunt. His body twitches violently, the pain almost unspeakable. It almost felt like his shoulders were dislocated. Akira did his best to keep his voice within, but when the Shadow applied more pressure, he couldn't help but scream.

Morgana gasped and tried to come to Akira's rescue, but he was also tackled-tackled so hard that he went flying and landed right in the king's hands. He grinned and threw the cat down, earning a wheeze of pain.

"You piece of-" Morgana grunted, his words cut off as Kamoshida stomped his foot down, pinning the defenseless animal down.

The king chuckled as he glanced over to Ryuji who stared wide eyed at the defeat of his friends. "I bet you simply came here on a whim and ended up like this. Isn't that right?

"No…!" Ryuji whimpered, falling to his knees, the bags sliding off his slumped shoulders. He was so confused… How could they lose? They did so well before. He suddenly recalled how all the enemies they've encountered were usually alone or had a partner-they hadn't faced with more than that before. If only Ryuji knew how to fight, they wouldn't be in this position.

"What a worthless piece of trash, getting emotional so quickly. How dare you raise a hand at me." He grinned, once again seeing the despair engulfing Ryuji. "Though it was only temporary, have you forgotten my kindness in supervising track practice?"

His tone vexed Ryuji. His fists tightened as he struggled to hold his composure. Squeezing his eyes shut, he slammed his fist to the red carpet and choked, "That wasn't no practice-it was physical abuse! You just didn't like our team!"

"It was nothing but an _eyesore_. The only one who needs to show results is _me_! If that damned coach hadn't opposed me with a sound argument, I would've settled it with _only_ breaking his star's leg."

Akira shivered. His hunch was right, in the end. But this was _certainly_ not how he planned to find out about it. He hoped that this Kamoshida would have sobbed a pathetic apology about hurting Ryuji, begging to be spared. Not for Akira to be pinned down by a Shadow in the shape of a demon ram.

Ryuji's face paled, a helpless look etched on his face as he looked up. Kamoshida snickered. "What? Do you need me to deal the other leg, too? Heh, the school will only call it self defense, anyway!"

Sweat trickled down Ryuji's face… He could remember it all.

The anger.

The snap.

The pain.

The floor.

The rejection.

His eyes began to water, the need to throw up overwhelming him. His stomach was tightening so much from the emotional distress. Holding back the tears, he whimpered quietly, "Dammit...Am I gonna lose again? Not only can I not run anymore... but the whole track team is gone 'cause of this asshole...!"

As if bored by playing with Ryuji, Kamoshida put more weight on his foot, crushing Morgana some more. "Once these two are dealt with, you're next."

"Ryuji!" Morgana called out.

Akira felt his heart dance to a steady beat, a familiar butterfly fluttering carefree before him. The butterfly made its way over to Ryuji, the blonde too blind with emotions to notice it. Understanding what was about to happen, Akira couldn't help but grin sadly.

"Hoy, Sakamoto! You're a troublemaker, aren't ya? Last time I checked, they don't let old bastards control them," Akira began. Ryuji twitched. "If you're a troublemaker… What're ya waitin' for?! Stand up for yourself! Don't let him win!"

Ryuji didn't move at first, absorbing the words that began to resonate within him. Eventually, he rose from the ground.

"...You're right. Everything important to me was taken by him. I'll never get it back…" Ryuji growled.

Kamoshida gave him an unimpressed look. "Just stay there and watch! Look on as these hopeless _scum_ die for nothing because they sided with trash like you."

Ryuji was finally on his feet. He stared down the man with no reserve. "No... That's what _you_ are. All you think about is using people... You're the real scumbag, Kamoshida!"

Ryuji stalked up to him, his eyes glowing red with anger. Kamoshida was surprised at the expression, unconsciously loosening the pressure on Morgana.

"What are doing!? Silence him!" Kamoshida ordered. But no one moved.

He wasn't going to be silenced. Never again.

"Stop lookin' down at me with that stupid smile on smile on your face!"

Ryuji suddenly choked, his eyes became glaringly yellow as he held his head. Screaming, he sank to the ground clutching his head harder, shortly crying out in pain. Sweat trickled down his face as he rolled and thrashed across the carpet. His head swung up, revealing a metallic skull obscuring his upper face.

Despite the sudden change, the crowd seemed unfazed. A golden soldier walked up and pulled out its blade, the Shadow pinning Akira down applying more pressure earning a pained grunt.

"Hmph, what can you do? Cower in fear and watch!" the soldier laughed. It's sword was now raised and aimed at the defenseless boy.

Ryuji glared at the soldier and began to stumble forward, struggling to rip off his mask with a pained growl. He screamed as blood spurted from his face, the metal finally ripped off his face. Blue light blinded the room, along with whipping winds, freeing Akira and Morgana from Kamoshida and his minions.

When the light started to die down, there stood Ryuji, clad in a matching black jacket and pants with knee pads, a red ascot, combat boots, as well as a pair of yellow gloves. Behind him was a skeleton pirate, riding its' ship like a skateboard. He flashed a wicked grin as the harmony of rattling chains began to die down.

"Whoa… So Ryuji had the potential too…!" Morgana gasped.

 _Fuck yeah,_ Akira thought with a proud grin, sweat trickling down his face.

"Right on…" Ryuji laughed. "Wassup Persona…?! Heh, this effin' _**rocks**_! Now that I got this power, it's payback time!"

Akira and Morgana moved to his side. Ryuji and Akira locked eyes, the boys sharing the same grin. They were ready to kick some serious Kamo _shit_ ass. With all three facing the enemies, Akira and Morgana summoned their own personas.

Cracking his knuckles, Ryuji laughed. "Yo, I'm ready. _**Bring it**_!"

The king gritted his teeth as he backed away for safety, his soldier standing up, ready to protect him. The golden one stepped up first.

"Don't mock me, you brat!" he shouted, throwing his blade down to the ground, bursting into its new form. It was a red armor, demonic soldier riding a top a demonic horse; the two combined standing a high ten feet. It had the aura of a Captain, looking down menacingly at the with the addition of Ryuji now in the front lines, it had no effect.

"If you know what's good for ya, step aside," Akira mocked, flicking his bangs out of his eyes. "We have some import matters to disgust with that abusive asshole you worship so much."

"What troublemakers you all are, bothering King Kamoshida with trifle matters!" the Captain huffed. Akira clicked his tongue in annoyance, his eyes glowing a powerful red. Ryuji rotated his right shoulder with a glare, his eyes having a similar glow.

"Kamoshida's cognition ain't chagin', right?" Ryuji asked, a mischievous grin forming. "Then I'll act like the troublemaker I am! Blast him away... Captain Kidd!"

With the flick of a finger, Captain Kidd cackled with excitement, an electric bolt firing from its pirate ship straight at the demon. The Captain dodged the attack and raised an armored fist in the air, two soldiers bursting into the demonic rams from before, and charged at the trio.

Akira licked his lips, hungry for payback, and grabbed a fistful of air; Arsene using his goop of toxin to swallow them. However, it didn't do much-the rams quickly brushing off the goop.

Zoro charged forward and grabbed the two rams, swinging them around violently before tossing them back at their leader. The trio of enemies cried in pain and fell to the ground, unconsciously tangling each other as they try to get up. Morgana whipped out his cutlass and cut the air with confidence, pointing the blade at the enemies.

"Now! An all out attack!" Morgana ordered.

Zoro charged up a green ball of wind, Ryuji smirking as he pointed at the fallen enemies. Captain Kidd charged up a ball of lightning, the two personas releasing their powers at the same time, the pained screams of the enemies echoing in the room as a smoke cloud formed from the magic. Akira closed his eyes with a smug grin, turning around and picked up the bags as Arsene charged in; clearing the smoke. Before the enemies could even notice him, he sliced through their bodies with his claws, their bodies bursting as they screamed one final time.

"And with that, the show's over," Akira chuckled, tugging at the hem of his red gloves as the school bags hung from his arms.

Morgana rolled his eyes as he returned his blade to its respective pouch. Ryuji was too tired to have heard Akira's little comment, Captain Kidd returning to its owner.

He took some deep breaths then regained his energy, laughing, "How 'bout that!? Even if you apologize... I ain't forgivin' ya!"

Kamoshida, who had been so shamefully hiding in the shadows, only smirked as he stood in front of a heavy red curtain.

"I told you this is _my_ castle. It seems you still don't understand," he chuckled. He whistled and the sound of footsteps echoed in the quiet room. Then, a slender hand poked out from behind the curtain, shortly revealing its owner. Akira gasped, his face becoming bright red.

"Wh-Takamaki!?" Ryuji exclaimed. The owner of the slender hand was no other than Takamaki from Akira's class, wearing a skimpy pink and black bikini with cat ears and pink pumps.

Morgana gasped, his tail curling. "Wha… What a meow-velous and beautiful girl…!"

"What's going on...!?" Ryuji muttered. Akira remained silent as he focused on desperately trying to keep his eyes on only Kamoshida. It was a difficult task, however, as he couldn't stand to stare at the smug expression. And the redness of his face was already a big give away that he sneaked a look or two at the practically naked girl. Thankfully for him though, the other two were practically stuck in a trance.

Kamoshida chuckled as he roughly pulled Takamaki close, their barely covered bodies kissing one another. Takamaki smiled and hugged back, drawing circles on his chest with her finger. Akira broke free from his embarrassment and snarled.

"Hoy! Let go of her, ya perv!" he barked, Ryuji and Morgana snapping out of their own trance.

"This is _MY_ castle-a place in which I can do whatever I want. Everyone wishes to be loved by me,"Kamoshida cooed, earning a lovestruck swoon from the girl. His grin quickly turned into a frown. "...That is, everyone _besides_ slow-witted thieves like you."

"Takamaki! Say somethin'!" Ryuji called out. Morgana shook his head.

"Calm down, you two. It seems that girl isn't the real one," Morgana reassured, sneaking a glance at Akira. He was a bit disappointed that Frizzy Hair went and lost his cool despite knowing so much. "She's the same as those slaves-a being made from Kamoshida's cognition of her!"

Akira glanced back and forth between the two, a theory being pieced together in his head. His blood began to boil the more he thought about it, his body unconsciously moving to a fighting stance.

"Are you jealous?" Kamoshida sneered, interpreting the anger fuming from Akira as a weakness. "Well, I'm not surprised. Women aren't drawn to problematic _punks_ like you."

"Dammit...!" Ryuji grunted, anger of his own starting to form. He hated seeing Kamoshida talk and treat the girl like a piece of his property.

"You sick fuck," Akira growled.

Kamoshida blinked nervously at Akira's tone, quickly raising a hand in the air as he called out, "Clean them up this instant!"

Once the words left his mouth, tons of soldiers suddenly appeared, the sound of clattering armor running echoing in the halls.

Morgana looked at the boys with a nervous expression. "We're outnumbered… Let's scram before we get surrounded!"

Ryuji opened his mouth to argue, but Akira grab hold of his shoulder and pushed him towards the exit. "I know, but we gotta go. We can't die here… Or else we can't expose him for what he really is."

With no other choice, the group ran as fast as they could.


	8. Entry 8: Confidants

"So, uh… I don't remember chargin' into this."

At the entrance of the castle, the group rested in the shadows, trying to catch their breath. Morgana laid besides Akira—who was squatting—and Ryuji, holding himself up by holding his knees. He regained his breath first and finally took notice of his change in attire.

"It looks good on ya," Akira complimented calmly, restraining himself from petting the tired Morgana. Ryuji blinked and raised a brow, scratching the back of his head with a nervous smile.

"Uhh… Should I be happy about that?"

"I mean… You were pretty jelly about my outfit, sooooo..." Ryuji blushed as Akira flashed him a teasing grin.

"I wasn't jealous! Besides, it looks way better than yours!"

Akira chuckled faintly in reply, knowing full well that he Ryuji was embarrassed. He was seriously jealous of Akira's cool costume, finding it badass.

Akira suddenly turned his head and stood up, pressing his back against the wall, barely poking his head out to see the inside the castle. Ryuji opened his mouth to ask what was up, but he shushed him by raising a finger. Looking over Akira's shoulder, Ryuji noticed the running shadows of the soldiers from within the castle.

"Did you find them!?"

"No, search that way!"

The duo remained quiet as they watched the soldiers run off. Once their shadows were no longer visible, the tension left their bodies. Morgana hopped up to his feet, casually stretching as if awakening from a nap.

"So, what's goin' on? I'm completely lost, man…!" Ryuji stated as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I told you before," Morgana began, catching the lads' attention. "When a Persona-user opposes a Palace's ruler and becomes a threat to them, this happens. It's to prevent you from being affected by distortions."

The word 'Persona' struck a chord within Ryuji, causing him to touch his face. He felt the cold metal of his skull mask, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Is this… a skull?"

"Your appearance reflects your inner self. It's the rebel that slumbers within…" Morgana shook his head with a sigh. "...Not that you'll get it."

"Nope," Ryuji admitted bluntly. He was honestly still trying to understand everything.

Morgana's tail stiffened with annoyance as he stomped his hind paw. "Then stop asking questions and accept what you see for what it is!"

"Easy for you to say," Ryuji barked back, suddenly stopping as he looked at Akira. "Wait, we're in deep shit!"

"Quiet!" Morgana hissed. Ryuji glared at Morgana, but calmed himself down as told.

"We might've gotten away here, but we're still screw with Kamoshida at the real school…"

"That's quite sharp of you!" Morgana praised, exchanging glances with Akira. "...For being an idiot."

"You can relax, Sakamoto-san," Akira reassured, waving a hand dismissively at Morgana's remark. "Mr. Kamoshida won't know about any of this. After all, he said nothing about the execution yesterday."

Ryuji gasped. "You're right…!"

"That's correct," Morgana praised, nodding at the dark haired boy. "See, a Shadow is the true self that is suppressed—a side of one's personality they don't want to see."

Ryuji walked past Morgana, ignoring everything he had just said. "Okay, well, now that we know all that; all we gotta do is—"

"Wait."

The boys looked down at Morgana, surprised by his new serious and demanding tone.

"I guided you as promised. It's your turn to cooperate with me."

"Huh?" the boys said in sync, matching expressions of confusion. Morgan clicked his tongue, baring his fangs, to which Akira found adorable.

"That's why I was super nice about teaching you idiots everything! I originally came here for an investigation to get my original form back, remember?"

"We never said anything about helpin' you out," Ryuji pointed out harshly. Morgana gasped.

"Huh? Don't tell me… Are you not going to repay the hospitality I showed you?" He looked at Akira with pained eyes. "Especially you! You're going to up and leave, even though you're already part of my master plan!?"

"Uhh…" Akira began, glancing around for a distraction. He suddenly punched Ryuji in the gut, causing him to wheeze and fall forward, Akira quickly catching him. "Whoa! Sorry Morgana, Sakamoto-san needs to rest up after everything that happened. We'll see you around, aight?"

Wrapping Ryuji's arm around his neck, Akira ran towards the castle gates.

"Hey! What the hell!?"

Just like when they entered the castle earlier, the world being clouded with black and red circles, the castle gradually meshing with color and transforming into the school. Akira ran forward, stopping in an alleyway right across from the entrance; the duo's costumes evaporating back to their uniforms.

"You have returned to the real world. Welcome back," Akira's phone beeped. Ryuji groaned as he walked toward a heater, resting on it with heavy breaths. Akira turned around, noticing that the stress at the entrance of the alleyway was busy with business people

Akira rubbed the back of his neck, shyly asking, "…You okay?"

"Y-Yeah, yeah… I'm fine, don't worry… Thank god we're back." Ryuji replied, waving a hand reassuringly. He turned and leaned against the heater, smiling weakly. "I dragged you around a lot, huh? Sorry, man…"

Akira nodded reassuringly. Ryuji sighed, the exhaustion fully showing itself as he frowned.

"I'm dead tired… How you holdin' up?"

"I could use a nap, honestly," Akira replied, a sigh escaping him as well.

"Me too… Sheesh, I'm gonna sleep like a rock when I get home." There was a pause before Ryuji smirked, energy coming back to him. "But damn, if what we saw was for real, this is gonna get good! I totally remember the faces of the guys Kamoshida was treatin' like slaves."

"Me too," Akira nodded.

"Once we make 'em fess up to any physical abuse, Kamoshida will be done for! You're gonna help me look for those guys, right? Or at least find any witnesses?"

Akira stared at the blonde for a moment, thinking. That's going to be a tough job, with his situation and all. And considering with how they talked, he had a suspicion that none of them were going to talk. But, with that innocent, determined smile on Ryuji's face… Akira couldn't say no.

"...Sure."

"Now that's what I'm talkin' about!" Ryuji cheered, pumping a fist in the air.

Akira flashed a soft smile, the blonde's joy seeping to him. Becoming shy, he looks down as he handed Ryuji his bag. He accepted the bag, his smile vanishing as he stared at Akira.

"...Hey, so…"

"Mh? What is it?" Akira asked, ruffling this his bag. Ryuji pouted his lips in thought, a perplexed frown tugging them downward. He took a deep breath and tucked his thumbs inside his pockets.

"I know you wanna lay low 'cause you got a record and bein' seen with me might mess it up for ya, but… I don't think doing either of them is gonna help," Ryuji began. "Everyone already knows. They totally got ya pegged as a criminal."

Akira looked up, his blank expression seeming to say, 'I've noticed, and?' Ryuji scratched his head, starting to feel a bit silly for saying all this.

"I just… It's a waste of time, y'know?"

A sheepish smile broke free from Akira's blank expression as he pushed up his glasses. It was cute seeing Ryuji being the flustered one. "I get it… Thanks."

Ryuji blushed a bit in embarrassment, grinning with relief. Akira's glasses glared as he looked up at the sky, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I have to wonder… How did it leak?" Akira asked aloud.

"Kamoshida opened his damn mouth!" Ryuji glowered, crossing his arms above his chest.

"A teacher would do that…? But why?"

"It doesn't matter if it's a student of a club; that asshole just wrecks things he doesn't agree with. Just like what he did with me..."

A hush fell over the duo, the busy footsteps of civilians passing by faintly keeping the silence from reaching a level of awkwardness.

"No one'll take anything I say seriously," Ryuji began, returning to the earlier topic. "But after seein' Kamoshida's distorted-heart thing in person, there's no way I can just sit back! We gotta make 'em listen."

"Of course," Akira agreed, nodding.

"I'm countin' on you! Don't worry; I'm hyped about this too!" Ryuji extended a fist with a grin. Akira let out a laugh, gently tapping his fist against Ryuji's. Ryuji quietly made the sound effect of an explosion as he pulled his fist away, returning it to his pocket. The two boys chuckled quietly, a bond of trust forming between them.

* * *

Akira looked up at the silver haired woman in front of him. She had him stop in his story, needing a moment to think.

"Acting as a Phantom Thief would've been more effective alone. You could've gone about it that way…" she began. She leaned forward with a glare. "However, you did not. There are merits to having associates… That's what you decided. Am I wrong?"

Akira remained quiet as the two stared at each other.

It wasn't like that at all.

He forged bonds—honest-to-heart relationships with others. It was why he didn't say anything in the beginning, silently enduring the physical beatings from the police… And why he won't say anything now. He brushed his bangs out of his eyes and ignored her attempts to make him snap, moving along with his story.

* * *

"WHAT?!" Ryuji screamed, Akira flinching at his loud response.

After their little bro moment, Ryuji pestered Akira about spilling his past—mainly why he had a criminal record. The two were famished after everything that happened and both of them didn't really have a filling lunch. With Ryuji as the tour guide, they went to Ore no Beko, a beef bowl restaurant in Shibuya.

"The hell man! How much shittier can that asshole get!?" Ryuji huffed, a few heads turning to them as Akira glanced away with a weak laugh.

"Not exactly what I wanna hear when I'm eatin' beef, dude," Akira pointed out. He scratched his cheek and shrugged. "Besides, it's all in the past."

Ryuji released a grunt of frustration, somewhat amazed that his friend could stay so calm. "Are you for real? If it was me, I wouldn't calm down 'til I punched that dick in the face!"

"It sucks, yeah, but it's already been done. All I can do now is be on my best behavior so I can go back home."

Ryuji sighed as he shook his head, shortly shoving more food into his mouth. "So, you left your hometown, and… you're livin' here now, huh? By the way ya talk about it, you must really miss it."

Akira looked down at his meal, his glasses shortly beginning to fog up by the steam. It's not that he missed it, exactly… He missed his mother, yes, but the town itself? Not really.

Silently sighing to himself, he sheepishly began eating again. Ryuji shifted his gaze at him, watching him eat rather daintily. It was kinda strange to see such a badass in that other world be so timid and proper in reality.

"Come on dude, eat! Ya barely touched your food," Ryuji encouraged, grinning as he began loading more food into his bowl. Akira flinched and made quiet, strange sounds as he looked back and forth between Ryuji and the serving box which stored the food.

"W-W-Wait, a sec! T-That's a bit much, don't you think?" Akira stuttered.

Ryuji leaned back in his stool, his grin stretching. "Don't stress about it! It's the least I can do to thank ya for helpin' me."

Akira blinked a few times before blushing, looking down at his bowl, meekly thanking him. He honestly didn't know if he could finish all of that…

Ryuji, on the other hand couldn't help but laugh, strangely finding the timidness cute and cool… in its own way.

A warm silence fell upon them as they ate, a relaxing atmosphere surrounding them.

"Y'know," Ryuji suddenly began, his hands stopping. "...We might be more alike than I originally thought."

Akira blinked in surprise before nodding, a shy smile on his face. They both were treated like shit by adults. They both didn't belong in society—or at least, the society that they lived in.

Ryuji chuckled as he began playing with the remains of his meal, a sad smile on his face.

"You're the first guy that made me think that… I did something stupid at school before, too."

Just when Akira's face showed signs of softening with sympathy, Ryuji downed his bowl and let out a satisfying belch, earning an immediate laugh from Akira. Ryuji looked at him in surprise as he covered his mouth, still laughing. It was the first time that he had ever really laughed since the two met… All the ones before felt so ungenuine—or rather, held back. Ryuji's face lit up as Akira coughed, ending his little laughing fit.

"So, the place you're livin' in now... is in Yongen, right?" Ryuji asked. He nodded. "It's rush hour on the subways right now. I suggest killin' some time before headin' home."

Akira pulled out his phone and made a little memo to himself, muttering, "Noted."

"Anyways, I got your back like you got mine from tomorrow on," Ryuji continued, leaning back a big in his seat. "So long as we do something about Kamoshida, I'm sure we'll both feel better about bein' at school."

Akira nodded. He definitely wanted to have his school life be a bit easier on him, all things considered. But, more importantly, he wanted the school to be a better place for the girls. If the guys were having such a hard time, then he could only imagine at what the girls have to put up with.

Especially Takamaki, Akira thought, his grip on the chopsticks tightening considerably. All those rumors he overheard about her, and the known fact that she didn't participate in any of the school's sport teams… Her relationship with Kamoshida is pure trouble.

"Oh yeah!" Ryuji suddenly exclaimed, snapping Akira out of his thoughts. "Gimme your number. Chat ID, too."

"Oh, sure…" Akira gasped, shyly pulling up his information. The two traded numbers and proceeded to enjoy their meal—well, more like being forced to eat their meal. It was surprising to Ryuji how a growing boy had a stomach the size of a pea.

"We're gonna start right away tomorrow," Ryuji began, gripping his phone with a serious expression. "First, let's hit up those guys that were kept as slaves."

"Sounds good," Akira nodded, his expression also becoming serious. "The volleyball rally's tomorrow, right? We can use that as our camouflage."

Ryuji nodded. "Let's work out the details tomorrow… You, dude, gotta eat more. There's tons of ginger here!"

Akira felt sweat trickle down his face as Ryuji added even more food to his bowl.

I hope taking this as to-go is an option, Akira thought as he reluctantly went back to eating.

Time quickly passed as the two talked about general things before they parted ways. The train ride wasn't so bad—though, he did have a run in with a cute girl who stood in front of him and the window spot. There were a few times where the train rocked, causing the two to get intimately close. He could tell that the girl was kind of nervous about it and did his best to quietly entertain her, earning flustered smiles and bashful giggles. But their little adventure ended short by the time she got off, just a stop before his.

Akira soon arrived at Leblanc, opening the door to find that Sojiro was sitting on one of the stools, reading a newspaper.

"I'm back," Akira announced as he walked in, catching Sojiro's attention.

"...You're home. I take it you actually went to school today?" he asked. Akira nodded and flashed a thumbs-up. "I guess you learned your lesson from yesterday."

"And this morning," Akira added. Sojiro's warning this morning was actually… Rather unsettling. A grin tugged the corner of Sojiro's lip for a second at the remark.

"So long as you aren't getting into any trouble, it's fine by me."

"And the moment I start causing problems, I'm gone, right?"

Sojiro frowned, not appreciative of the tone. He flicked the newspaper in his hand, the crisp sound of paper straightening echoing. "Don't get cocky... But at least it seems like you're getting it."

Akira smirked as he nodded goodnight, making his way to the stairs. He stopped in his tracks as his phone trilled from his pocket. Pulling it out, he blinked in surprise as he saw that it was a text message.

Ryuji: Hey. I decided to go ahead and text you.

Before he could even reply, another message beeped in.

Ryuji: Can you see this?

Akira adjusted his glasses and typed a reply.

Akira: Ye, I can.

Ryuji: I'll be counting on you tomorrow.

Akira: Same. Let's do our best.

Ryuji: You're a bro, man...

Ryuji: Welp, see ya tomorrow! Let's save those guys who've been gettin' abused.

"...Who was that?" Sojiro asked, his curiosity peaked upon noticing the smile on Akira's face.

"Oh, um," Akira flinched, glancing around. It was clear that the two were friends, but would Sojiro believe him if he said that? "...a classmate?"

Sojiro snorted and placed his newspaper on the counter top. "Do me a favor and just stay away from bad influences, okay?"

He nodded in reply. Sojiro stood and announced that he was locking up this time, the two bidding each other goodnight.

As he dropped his bag on the counter, all of today's events replayed in his mind. He sank to his knees and released a long sigh, cupping his face.

What the hell have I gotten myself into? he asked.

His feelings were… honestly mixed with the whole ordeal. Yes, he wants to help. Yes, he wants to bring justice to those Kamoshida took advantage of. Yes, he wants a friendlier school life. But at the same time, it was that same feeling of yearning that strayed him so far from the right path… He wasn't sure that he could take another emotional scarring. And with Ryuji now going down that same path, having awakened his own Persona, Akira worried for him. The last thing he wanted was to bring anyone down this path… this path of uncertainty and subconscious desire.

Running his fingers through his hair, he sighed once more. Standing up, he walked over to the window besides his bed and opened it, taking in the cool evening breeze. If there was one thing that he missed from home, it was the stars. Where he came from, no matter where you were, it always felt like walking through an observatory. The stars always came out to play, proudly showing off their rare purple and ocean blue glow. A smile grew from his lips, recalling the innocent days from childhood where he thought the stars were candies for astronauts.

That smile quickly withered as an image of his father flashed in his mind. Sighing, Akira removed his glasses and rustled his hair. Sliding off the bed, he got dressed for bed and stared at his bag for a moment. He had homework to do, but… He didn't want to do it. Instead, he plopped down on the mattress and pulled out his journal.

* * *

Diary Entry 3:

Tokyo schools are crazy. There are molesters and abuse everywhere. If I was sick in the head, I would almost feel at home.

I managed to attend the entire school day. I was even praised for answering stuff right. Which is strangely surprising to city kids. They've labeled me as a punk—my friggin situation was leaked—so they just thought that I wouldn't be into studying. How stupid is that?

On the plus side, I made a friend today. That blonde guys I mentioned yesterday. Kinda weird to be friends with a guy… But, I suppose I feel that way about everyone. After all, I don't deserve friends, right?

Anyways, I'm tired, so I'll end this short with a prayer. May the Holy Father watch over Nanay tonight, blessing her with comfort during these lonesome days. And may father work hard to one day be shown the way to redemption. Amen.

* * *

Akira's phone suddenly dinged. Blinking in surprise, he closed the journal and set it atop the windowsill, grabbing his device. It was another text message from the blonde.

Ryuji: That thingy on your phone was some red eyeball thingy, right?

Akira blinked, quickly looking back at the Metaverse Navigator just to double check.

Akira: Ye, why?

Ryuji: We got to that weird place using that nav app, right? It just appeared on my phone. I don't remember installing it.

Akira glanced away from the screen with a nervous smile. Igor kept his word, so it seems.

Probably best I don't tell him, Akira thought.

Akira: Talk about creepy…

Ryuji: For real. What is this thing? Think it downloaded itself?

Akira: Definitely.

Ryuji: It's dangerous to use something without knowing what it is... but with it we can go to that weird place.

Akira: Looks like it.

Ryuji: Ok I guess it'll depend on how we use it.

Ryuji: Oh and I got your back tomorrow. Don't go ditching school!

Akira: Shouldn't I be the one telling you that?

Ryuji: Shuddap!

Akira: wwwww (´∀｀)

Akira: See ya tomorrow.

Ryuji: Yeah, see ya!

With a nod, Akira stifled back a yawn and plugged his phone to its charger, shortly succumbing to sleep.

* * *

Akira's eyes slowly opened as a throbbing pain stabbed him repeatedly just below the base of his neck, spreading to his shoulders. Sitting up, he heard the rotting sound of chains, earning a loud groan.

Don't you guys have anything better to do? Akira wondered as he stood up, wobbling over to the cell door. Exhausted, he planted his left cheek on the cold, metal bars; his face meshing into a rather silly, bored expression.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room," Igor greeted. "I thought about resuming our previous conversation tonight. That is why I have summoned you… What are your thoughts? Are you becoming accustomed to this place?"

"Yes… sadly," Akira admitted, struggling to keep his eyes open. The pain that vibrated his shoulders begged him to leave and fall asleep once again.

"Glad to hear it. It seems you have nerves of steel," Igor praised, waving a hand at Caroline. Without looking at the prisoner, she slammed her nightstick against the cell bars, causing him to yelp in surprise. That was certainly one way to keep him awake. "Your rehabilitation determines if ruin can be stopped. Yet, such a feat cannot be done by you alone. But today, you have entered a partnership with someone who awoke to the same power, haven't you?"

Akira nodded reluctantly, frowning, as he rubbed his cheek.

"Involving yourself with other is an important foundation for your recovery. You've done well."

Recovery… What does that mean exactly? Akira wondered as his eyes narrowed with curiosity. He couldn't help but glance at the frilly presents sitting peacefully in the cell behind Igor, the wrapping thankfully not gaining any dust.

"That said," Igor began, his tone shifting a little. "I am not advising the form of superficial relationships. It must not be of frivolity, but a ring of those who would, by morals or faith, lend your their strength."

That rhymed. A grin flashed upon Akira's face, quickly disappearing as soon as it showed itself.

"In other words, they are bonds with those who have been robbed of their places to belong. The expansion of said ring will, in return, help you mature as well."

"Personas are the strength of heart," Justine began. "The stronger the bonds that surround you, the more power your Peronas will gain."

"There are countless people in the city who have talents that a weakling like you doesn't," Caroline pointed out. "You better rack that noggin of your and get them on your side. We'll change that into power."

Akira glared at the twin bun girl, annoyance filling him. He didn't appreciate how this circus of freaks were basically telling him that making friends wouldn't do him any good—instead, form relationships with people he could trust and basically use one another for a means to an end. He didn't plan to start using people for his own benefit… And the expression of his face showed it.

Igor grinned in amusement. "You should be prepared to use even myself during your journey… Or your ambitions will not come to fruition."

"You? Gladly," Akira growled. Each minute he spends staring at Igor during these irksome conversations, a new seed of hatred and cautionary was planted within. This world was a part of that the distortion… It had to be. Why else would Akira be able to look at the long nosed man and see not a human… but a creature of malice instead.

"We have a deal then," Igor chuckled. He had high expectations for the Akira. This guest of his was certainly one that knew how to keep him entertained. "Well, you will understand it all in due time… Continue devoting yourself to your rehabilitation."

"Not, this conversation's over!" Caroline announced with a glare. "Get lost, Inmate!"

Akira flipped the bird to Caroline as he quickly lost consciousness, falling backwards from exhaustion.


	9. Entry 9: The Volleyball Rally

April 13th

The morning of the volleyball rally was nothing to really comment on for Akira, the first two classes breezing by without him even getting the chance to blink. Sojiro didn't make him anything this time around, and he ended up going straight to school on an empty stomach. He grabbed a fruit bar and snacked on it before homeroom began, but even then his game face wasn't entirely on.

It wasn't until the announcement for the rally he awaken, his emotions fuling him with energy. He changed in the boys bathroom on the second floor, due to the second-years changing station being too full. He didn't really mind—in fact, he was given full on privacy thanks to the second years who quickly changed and dashed out of the bathroom in fear.

After changing in the school's red and white sports uniform, deciding to wear the jacket with the sweats, he quickly met up with Ryuji and the two walked together to the gymnasium with the throng of students. They could hear the complaints of the other students—mostly the guys as they were the ones that had to fight against the other team.

"How annoying—we've barely started high school, and already they're making us play at a volleyball rally?"

"And why are they pitting us against the teacher team? Kamoshida's gonna crush us."

"We get to see his technique live and in person, though. We should totally get spiked on!"

"Yeah, okay. You're gonna get your face smashed in. Just look how banged up the volleyball team is. What the hell goes on during their practices?"

The duo exchanged glances as they entered the gymnasium. Principal Kobayakawa started the event off with some friendly words, the students applauding politely once he finished. A third-year teacher then came up and explained how the rally was going to go. Akira found himself dazed with each word that slipped from the speakers, unconsciously following the blonde delinquent when the event finally commenced.

The duo left the gym as soon as things got started, seeing as how it was the first years up first against the team of teachers. They used that time to discuss their plan in detail.

By the time they returned, the second-years were already playing. The first-years were demolished as suggested by the scoreboard. Assuming that they accidentally excused themselves from playing, they sat against the gym wall, watching the game. Kamoshida was destroying the student team without breaking that much of a sweat. It disgusted them to see the number of girls cheering for him.

"They're so damn loud…" Ryuji groaned, clicking his tongue.

"Maybe they're just trying to stay on his good side," Akira guessed. He couldn't believe that any of those blushing faces were of romantic feelings towards Kamoshida.

Eyeing each girl, commenting on their beauty internally, Akira noticed that away from the cheering masses was Takamaki. She didn't seem to be interested in the slightest, playing with the end of her right pigtail.

"Still sticks out without a care in the world…" Ryuji commented quietly, as if speaking aloud to himself. Akira turned and shot him a questioning look.

Noticing this, he yawned and stretched his arms above his head. "Pretty boring, right?"

Akira couldn't help but grin, nodding. But when Ryuji rested his chin in the palm of his hand shortly after, he couldn't help but glance back and forth quizzically between the blondes. He recalled hearing Ryuji exclaiming her name back at the castle, so it was clear to him that they were aquitenced. But from where? And when? Was it the rumors or from a time before?

The sudden eruption of cheers from students snapped them out of his thoughts. Ryuji sneered in Kamoshida's direction.

"He'll get what's coming to him…"

Akira stared at the blonde for a moment before turning his attention back to the rally.

The game droned on, the teachers gaining a new point with each match thanks to Kamoshida. Soon Akira found himself getting bored as well. He stood up, his butt slowly starting to become numb from sitting down on the hard group. He wasn't the type that liked sitting. Even sitting in class was a pain for him.

For the first time, he felt rather grateful to the square-chinned coach. Because of all the attention he's getting, no one has been even glancing at Akira nor Ryuji, their sense of fear being aimed directly at Kamoshida. It felt pretty good not being the center of attention.

One of the boys from Akira's class, the one who helped him with directions and had a bunch of bruises on his face, took a few step back in the middle of the game; his head hanging as his shoulders slumped. Akira blinked in surprise, noticing this. He found the boy rather cute and was watching him for a majority of the game—way more than he was watching the other students. There was something about him that constantly asked for his attention. Without really thinking, Akira began walking over to him.

"Hey," he called out, meekly. The boy flinched and looked at him with wide eyes. Akira averted his gaze awkwardly, wondering if it was okay to even talk to a player in the middle of a game. "Are you, uh, feelin' alright? I-I can take your place if—"

Akira cut his sentence short as he leapt towards the boy and pushed him back, earning a yelp of surprise. A loud slap shortly followed after, echoing in the once excited buzzing gym; a pained and surprised chatter quickly replacing it. Ryuji's eyes widened as a familiar pair of large, black oval glasses slid towards him—the left lens cracked. He grabbed the glasses, jumped to his feet with worry, and rushed over to his friend.

"Dude, you alright?!" Ryuji asked. He couldn't help but gasp as Akira looked at him.

A large red mark, right where the volleyball assaulted him, practically pulsated each time Akira drew a breath. It almost looked like a burn mark, his veins almost completely outlined. It really defined his soft cheekbones. Was this the sort of pain that the volleyball team had to endure…?

"It's chill," Akira mumbled, his eyes beginning to shine with a glossy coat. He wiped the injury with his jersey sleeve, grabbing his broken glasses from Ryuji's hand as he continued to continue to stare wide eyed.

"Ow, that look liked it hurt!"

"Is he okay? His cheek is all red."

"Oh my god, I think his glasses broke…"

Ryuji looked around in slight surprise, amazed that some of the girls seemed to care about Akira's wellbeing, considering his status. Maybe it was because they managed to catch a glance of his face? Either way, he felt pretty relieved that no one was shitting on his friend after getting hurt.

"Sorry!"

Kamoshida rushed over to the duo, a worried expression on his face. Though, Ryuji saw right through it, and instead glared at Kamoshida's expression of annoyance.

"Hey, are you alright?" Kamoshida asked as he bent forward to be at eye level with Akira. He turned his face away, pointing over at his classmate.

"I-I'm fine, but it seems like he passed out," Akira mumbled. Kamoshida looked over at the boy—sure enough, he was laying on the ground with his eyes closed. Fainted. From what exactly? Even Akira wasn't sure.

Kamoshida knelt down beside the boy, a group of students following suit. Kamoshida looked at the student aid and called out to them, "Take this young man to the nurse's office!"

One of the male students rushed over and, with the help of Kamoshida, picked up the the boy and carried him out of the gym.

As soon as he was gone, under Kamoshida's order, the volleyball rally continued; the room filled with mixed conversations. With the excuse of Akira's injury, the two teens were dismissed as well. As they turned around, making their way out of the gymnasium, they could hear the whispers of students realizing who Akira was.

"Wait a minute, that's the transfer student…!"

"Akira Kurusu, right? The one who gutted a guy?"

"The guy he pushed screamed when he fell, did you hear it? Damn, that transfer kid's brutal."

"Dude, ain't that assault or something? Guess old habits never die."

"Think he did it to get out of the rally early?"

"I wouldn't be surprised."

As soon as the duo were a ways from the gym, Ryuji walked in front of Akira and grabbed him by the shoulders, earning a startled blink.

"Yo, Aki! What the hell, man?!" Ryuji snapped, causing Akira to flinch by the sudden volume. He looked at his friend and blinked, his cheeks dusted with an embarrassed pink.

"Did you just call me 'Aki'?" he asked. Ryuji blinked, as if realizing it himself.

"Oh, uh… Guess I did. Feels more natural to call you that than Akira," he guessed, shrugging. It just sort of slipped out. But for some reason, he felt rather shy about it, and let go of Akira's shoulders, taking a step back. "Anyways, why the hell did you do that?!"

"I dunno… Guess I wanted to return a favor," Akira hummed, averting his gaze. Ryuji raised a brow in confusion. Akira shook his head, noticing it. "Let's focus on the plan for now. Where do you plan on searchin' first?"

Ryuji sighed in defeat, shortly thinking of which side to tackle first. They made 'sides', as Akira called it, of the plan. Depending on which one they decided to do first, they may or may not have the time to tackle the other.

Finally coming to a conclusion, Ryuji said, "...Let's go with side C. The first one that popped out back at the castle was a guy from class 2-D."

Akira nodded and began to walk around Ryuji, when he suddenly grabbed his shoulder.

"Are you gonna wear those glasses for the rest of the day? Can you even see with them on?" he asked. The left lens was cracked to oblivion, but it was still perfectly intact with the frame. He couldn't even imagine what Akira was seeing right now. "Why don't you take 'em off? It'd probably be a lot easier to see… Unless you have mole vision or somethin'."

"It's fine, I can see fine through the other lens," Akira reassured. Ryuji twisted his lips as he tried to get a read on his partner's blank expression. However, he quickly gave up, his head already starting to hurt.

The two quickly made their way through the halls, students eyeing them with nervous curiosity; filling the already busy hall with whispers. But they paid it no mind as their time was limited. By asking the volleyball team members before practice, they theorized to have a higher chance of getting a response compared to after practice.

Entering class 2-D, Akira suddenly felt nervous. He wasn't expecting others to be in the classroom as well. The moment he stepped inside, he was greeted with five pairs of eyes—excluding the student they needed to talk to. Lowering his head, Akira walked over to the boy wiping away chalk from the blackboard.

"Um, 'scuse me," Akira called out softly. He was feeling nervous and was pretty sure he wasn't going to get anything. The boy turned around, instantly giving him an expression that said 'What do you want?'.

"What…? Are you skipping out on the volleyball rally?" he asked, an arduous tone in his voice. Akira couldn't help but notice that he was missing a few teeth, each time he opened his mouth. "I guess I expected it from you, transfer."

Ryuji stepped forward with a glare, causing the boy to flinch.

"You too, Sakamoto!? W-What do you guys want…?"

Akira eyes the boy up and down, taking note of the bandage practically covering his body—his most noticeable bandage tied around his head, as if keeping it intact. "...Nasty bandages there. How'd you get injured?"

The boy clenched, his jaw unconsciously tensing. "It's from practice…! What does that have to do with anything?"

"Kamoshida did it to you, right?" Ryuji asked bluntly. He wanted to get straight to the point. "Look, we ain't gonna tell anyone you squealed. Just tell us about how Kamoshida's abusin' you."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about!"

"You scared?" Akira asked.

"I'm not! You guys are talking complete nonsense!" 

Ryuji growled in annoyance, taking a step forward. "Don't try n' hide it! We already know!"

"Back off! You're really starting to bother me!" the boy shouted, pushing Ryuji away. An awkward silence fell upon the classroom, Akira noticing that the guy was starting to tear up. And it wasn't because of his injuries.

"This is ridiculous… Please, leave me alone," he asked quietly, looking down. Ryuji and Akira exchanged looks, shortly walking away as requested.

"Damnit… That injury ain't normal! And he still won't fess up…!?" Ryuji sighed as they exited the classroom. Looking over at the clock, he scratched his head. "We wasted so much time already. The game's gonna be over soon."

"Let's split up. I'll take care of this building," Akira suggested. He was honestly only familiar with this building, so being asked to cover any place else and he feared getting lost.

Ryuji nodded. "Fine, I'll take a look at the practice building. There's a third year in 3-C that's on the volleyball team. He was pretty beat up back at the castle, so it should be pretty easy to spot him."

"Gotcha. Hit me up if you get anything."

"Yeah, same to you man."

The two quickly split up, Ryuji taking the stairs at the end of the hallway while Akira retraced his steps to the first floor, where the third-year classes were held. It was a bit confusing for him, as his previous school had the third-years on the third floor and the first-years be on the first floor. But he quickly managed to get over it, finding some optimistic symbolism in the layout.

Returning to the first floor, Akira looked around for a beat up individual, ignoring the curious stares and the unconscious temptations some of the students gave. Soon, Akira found his target and approached him with slow steps. Even though he was on a mission, he didn't want to seem antsy in front of an upperclassman. He wanted to seem like a cool kid.

"Man, cleaning up after the volleyball rally is gonna be such a goddamn pain…" the third-year sighed to his friend, the two signing something on a clipboard that sat on top of a table.

"'Scuse me, got a sec?" Akira called out, casually. He blushed almost immediately, his anxiety overtaking him. The two third-years turned around to face him, the difference between the volleyball player and the average student sticking out like blood on white clothes.

"Huh? Whaddya want?" he asked, rather… nicely. This caught Akira off guard, his anxiety melting away.

"Uh… I was just curious, how'd you get hurt?"

He tensed for a moment. "...It's from practice."

"Hey, I know this guy! He's that transfer student who's been hanging out with Sakamoto," the third-year's friend suddenly pointed out, shifting a glare to Akira. The third-year's eyes widened in surprise, his view of Akira completely changing.

"Oh, I get it… You're trying to snoop on Mr. Kamoshida, right?" he sighed. "Look, our volleyball team performs at a national level. Of course our practices are gonna be tough. Mr. Kamoshida's just dedicated to training us. Don't believe everything Sakamoto says."

Akira frowned, noticing the tone shift. He was being talked down on like a little brother—and while it did, strangely enough, bring him comfort; it really bugged him. Pushing up his glasses, he asked, "You sure it's not abuse?"

The third-year flinched and gritted his teeth nervously, almost as if he was becoming defensive. "A-As if!"

The friend shot another glare at Akira as he grabbed the volleyball player's shoulder, whispering something in his ear. The two shot the underclassmen a nervous look before huffing and walking away. Akira sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He walked over to a corner, where less people gathered, and pulled out his phone. He texted Ryuji, updating him on his throw down.

Ryuji: Damn, everyone's too freaked out about Kamoshida…

Ryuji: Thankfully, I got a new lead. A first-year, new member.

Akira: Class?

Ryuji: 1-B.

Akira nodded and pocketed the device, quickly making his way upstairs. Immediately after strolling by a few classrooms, he spotted a young man with less injuries in comparison to the other two. Walking up to him, the first year blinked.

"You on the volleyball team?" Akira asked. The first year gulped, somehow feeling nervous and nodded. "Is Kamoshida abusing you?"

"Wh-What…!? Why would you say something like that?" the first year squeaked, sweat trickling down his jaw. "I-I mean, sure Mr. Kamoshida's strict, but it's like this for all the other sports teams, right?"

Akira's eyes narrowed in thought as the first-year quietly whispered, "Though… the special coaching he gave Mishima-senpai was prolly too far…"

"'Mishima-senpai'?" Akira repeated.

"Uh! F-Forget I said anything! Please stop talking to me…!"

He frowned, dissatisfied, but decided that he had pestered the guy enough. From the way that he talked, Akira knew that he was naive and nervous. Turning around, he made his way to the corner, an announcement singing through the PA system.

"Attention, attention," a female voice began. "All matches have concluded. Please get ready to go home for today…" 

Akira's frown increased as his phone buzzed. Standing in the shadows of the corner, students glancing at him nervously as they made their way to the first-years changing section.

Ryuji: Dammit! We're out of time. How'd it go?

Akira: Take a wild guess ┐(￣ヘ￣)┌

Ryuji: So you didn't have any luck too...

Ryuji: Mkay, that'll do for now. Let's regroup in courtyard.

Akira: K.

Pushing himself off the wall, he made his way through the corridors, students glancing nervously at him—more than usual. Perhaps it was because of the fact that his glasses were so nonchalantly worn despite the broken lens, or perhaps because the owner of said glasses walked with a complex frown. They could sense the tension radiating off him, unconsciously clearing the path for him. It was probably the first time that the infamous transfer student looked so malicious.

When he reached the courtyard, Ryuji had yet to arrive. Akira let out a sigh and pulled out some money from his sock. His face was starting to go numb and was in desperate need of something cool to prevent massive swelling. He inserted the money and punched the numbers for a cold orange juice.

As he tenderly rolled the can on his face, he heard the sounds of footsteps approaching him, followed with; "Can I talk to you for a sec...? It'll be quick."

Akira blinked and turned to see Takamaki standing before him. Unconsciously, he blushed, and nodded shyly.

Takamaki glanced at the injury for a second before crossing her arms under her breasts, allowing her face to harden.

"What's with you? Like, how you were late the other day was a lie and all," she began. Akira blinked as he rolled the can.

"Um… You were in class when I arrived the other day, I believe. So, you clearly saw that I was late," Akira pointed out timidly. He didn't know what excuse Kawakami used for his tardiness, but it couldn't have been that bad, right? Well, that's what he reassured himself with…

Until he saw the face Takamaki made.

"From being sick? You looked perfectly fine—though, that greeting of yours was pretty rough…" She paused, looking as if she wanted to say more. But she shook her head and eyed him with suspicion. "...There's that weird rumor about you, too."

"Whaddya want with him?"

Takamaki turned around surprised. Ryuji had appeared and he certainly didn't look happy about the girl talking to his bro.

"Right back at you. You're not even in our class," Takamaki shot back. Ruiji shot a glance at Akira, who seemed unfazed by the scene before him. If anything, he looked a bit confused.

"...We just happened to get to know each other."

Takamaki sighed and placed her hands on her hips. "What are you planning to do to Mr. Kamoshida?"

"Huh!?"

Ryuji took a moment, theories being put together in his head. Akira looked at the girl, trying to get a good read on her.

What has Kamoshida been doing to you? he wanted to ask.

After a moment, Ryuji glared at her, having reached a conclusion. "... I see. I getcha. You're all buddy-buddy with him after all."

His comment made her tense, her power stance breaking.

"This has nothing to do with you, Sakamoto!"

Ryuji huffed and made his way over to Akira, his back facing Takamaki. "If you found out was he's been doin' behind your back, you'd dump him right away."

She turned around, a bewildered look on her face. "Behind my back...? What's that supposed to mean?"

Ths pair remained silent, exchanging glances. She looked at the two suspiciously, but she knew better than to continue. She had lost the battle.

"Anyway, people are already talking about you two," she began. "I don't know what you're trying to pull, but nobody's gonna help you... I'm warning you, just in case."

And with that, she turned to leave.

"Takamaki-san!" Akira suddenly called out. The girl turned around with a raised brow. "Uh…"

He lowered his head, suddenly becoming a bit shy with the two pair of eyes looking quizzically at him. He wasn't even sure why he called out to her.

"Be safe… walking home, I guess," Akira murmured. Takamaki blinked in surprise, quickly averting her eyes. Without saying anything, she turned and left for real this time.

A quiet sigh left Akira, realizing that he had been holding his breath. His whole body was tense with anxiety—especially after calling out to the girl like that.

"Why's she gotta be so aggressive all the time...?" Ryuji clicked, gently kicking the vending machine in front of him.

"You know her?" Akira asked, rotating the drink.

"Nah, not really. We just went to the same middle school." He shook his head. "Anyway, she's not what we're here to talk about. Find anything out?"

Akira nodded, leaning back on the cobble wall behind him. "The first-year I talked to said an upperclassman named Mishima gets special coaching. Dunno if he's like us or a third-year, though."

"Special 'coaching,' huh?" Ryuji huffed with a frown, crossing his arms over his chest. "…I'm not surprised. I always see the guy covered in bruises. He's a second-year, like us."

Akira hummed in reply. The name sounded familiar, now that he thought about it…

"C'mon, let's go talk to him before he leaves," Ryuji suggested. Akira nodded and stood up, the two rushing down the corridor. They decided to rush to the entrance, where they had a good chance of being able to spot him.

As soon as the entered the main building, the duo spotted a familiar face shuffling towards the front doors.

"Hey!" Ryuji called out, causing the boy—as well as the few other students who had already changed—to stop and look around. The running duo slowed down as the boy turned to them.

Akira couldn't help but blink in surprise. Turns out Mishima was a boy from his class, as well as the kid who he protected earlier. He was bruised and battered, just like the last time the two talked. Now knowing that it was Kamoshida's doing, Akira felt his blood boil.

"Sakamoto...? And Kurusu-san too!?" Mishima squeaked, looking back and forth between the duo.

"Calm down, we just wanna talk," Ryuji reassured—though, his tone didn't necessarily help. "Kamoshida's been 'coaching' you, right? You sure it ain't physical abuse?"

He tensed, taking a few steps back. "C-Certainly not!"

"What're you talkin' all polite for?" Ryuji asked. They were in the same year, so the formality was not necessary. "Anyways… We saw him try to spike you today. If it weren't for Aki, you'd have a new bandage on your face."

Mishima blinked in surprise and looked at said boy, taking notice of the injury for the first time. Akira nodded subtly, an apologetic look on his face.

"Sorry, by the way, for pushing you… Didn't mean to knock you out like that," he muttered. Mishima's body visibly relaxed, realizing what had happened. He looked down with a contrite expression.

"No, I… If I was better at playing, you wouldn't have…"

"C'mon, don't be like that. You were doin' pretty good out there."

"...Even if you sucked at playing, it wouldn't explain all the other bruises you've got," Ryuji added.

Mishima's body tensed once again, a new defensive look on his face. "They're from practice…!"

Ryuji frowned in annoyance. "Is he forcin' you to keep quiet?"

Mashima glanced away. It was clear to them that he was starting to debate whether or not to confess of Kamoshida's wrongdoings to him, when:

"What's going on here?"

Kamoshida waltzed up to the trio, Mishima straightening in surprise with an audible gulp. Akira blinked nervously and lowered his head, stuffing his hands into his jersey pockets. The way his shoulders slump, one would never guess that he was a figure to avoid.

"Mishima, isn't it time for practice?" he asked, turning to him.

"I-I'm not feeling well today…" he mumbled, turning his head away from the daunting figure. With the way his voice suddenly went horse, Akira believed it.

"What? Maybe you're better off quitting, then. You're never going to improve that crappy form unless you show up to practice." Kamoshida sighed.

Ryuji stood between the coach and Mishima, his head cocked to the side with a scowl.

"Didn't you hear? He said he ain't feelin' well," he sneered.

Kamoshida stared down at the blonde delinquent, shortly ignoring him as he returned his gaze to the meek boy.

"Well, Mishima? Are you coming to practice or not?"

Mishima quietly sighed, his head dropping as he muttered weakly, "I'll go…"

He nodded in approval and then looked back at Ryuji.

"Anymore trouble from you, and you'll be gone from this school for sure."

Ryuji growled, his body tensing. He hated this powerless feeling.

"Same goes for you, Kurusu-san," Kamoshida huffed, setting his eyes on the taller meek boy, who flinched upon hearing his name. "Didn't the principal tell you to keep in line?"

"Y... Yes, he did, sir…" he mumbled, shortly pursing his lips.

Kamoshida huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Just don't get in the way of my practice. All these unsettling rumors are making the students anxious, after all."

Akira flinched, his lips trembling with anger and anxiety. He wanted to say something, but his body wouldn't let him… Thankfully though, he had Ryuji to do that for him.

"That's your own goddamn fault," he growled, eyes flaring with hatred.

Kamoshida sighed and shook his head. "This won't get us anywhere... Let's go, Mishima."

The man then turned to leave, the students that lingered quickly darting off to avoid being confronted.

"Bastard…" Ryuji grumbled under his breath, looking away. However, it seemed Ryuji didn't say it quiet enough as Kamoshida stopped in his tracks, his broad back facing them.

"Shujin Academy is a place where those with aspirations come to learn," he began. "Unworthy students like yourselves don't have any right to be here."

Tell that to me when you change the school cress, Akira sneered internally. With no one speaking up, Kamoshida took his leave.

"Get with the program!" he called to Mashima as he walked away.

"Yes, sir," Mishima replied, feebly, with a sigh.

Ryuji stomped his good foot down, gritting his teeth. "That asshole... He's gonna pay for this!"

"...There's no point."

Ryuji and Akira looked at Mishima with surprised eyes. He looked dejected and hopeless as he spoke.

"Proving that he's physically abusing us... is meaningless… Everybody knows... The principal, our parents... They all know and still decide to keep quiet about it."

Akira's face twisted with pain, his heart throbbing at the truth that was laid bare by a victim. He had a feeling that was the case, based on everything he observed these few long days. Ryuji, on the other hand, didn't see this coming at all based on the baffled look on his face.

"This has gotta be a joke...!" he gasped. Mishima shook his head and sighed, his bandaged fingers drawing close to his chest in a fist.

"...Don't be a pain. You don't understand what I'm going through. Shouldn't you of all people know nothing's going to help...!?" he said, glaring at Ryuji.

The delinquent grunted, the painful memories returning back to him too quickly, and turned away. It was one thing to have his permanent reminder nag him every minute of every day, but it was another thing to be reminded by a new victim who wasn't even there to witness his fall.

With that, Mishima jogged off towards the gym.

"Dammit..." Ryuji huffed, his left leg twitching in annoyance. If only he could shake the memories—the pain—away entirely instead of having to deal with the temporary numbness.

"What now?" Akira asked, quietly. Ryuji blinked and looked at him. Akira stared at him with determined eyes, a strong expression hardening his face. 'We can't stop here', he seemed to scream. Ryuji thought for a moment as the two locked eyes, transferring their similar feelings to one another, unconsciously boosting each other.

"...I'll try one more time to persuade the other guys. That's... all I can do, right now," Ryuji decided. Akira could sense the weakness he felt. As much as he wanted to help it seemed look they've hit a roadblock. Walking up to him, Akira patted Ryuji's shoulder with a firm grin.

"We better get goin', then," he encouraged. Ryuji grinned back, a smidge of hope returning to him.

The two quickly made a plan and seperated. They hoped that with Akira's injury, he would be able to gain some useful tibids when he visited the nurse. But, as Mishima stated, the nurse played innocent to the idea of Kamoshida abusing his students.

As closing time drawed near, Akira and Ryuji were forced to change and leave school grounds. Just as they theorized, the volleyball members were a lot harder to crack after practice. No one would even mention Kamoshida's name.

"Man, this shit doesn't make any sense!" Ryuji groaned as the two walked to the station. "The principal, the teachers, and even the parents know about the abuse. Why ain't anybody speakin' up?!" The longer Ryuji thought about it, the faster he managed to find himself lost in the web of logic.

"...Because volleyball," Akira sighed. Ryuji blinked, instantly becoming free from the tangle he was making.

"Oh, yeah… Kamoshida basically made the volleyball team famous or something, yeah?" He frowned and scratched his head. "Even so, that don't give him the right to do whatever he wants! He's beating kids up and all they can do is to endure it. And that follower of his doesn't give a single shit…"

"Follower?"

"Ann Takamaki, the girl we bumped into at the courtyard."

Akira hummed, averting his gaze. Ann wasn't a follower of Kamoshida—he was sure of it. From the way she was depicted in the castle, the way she talked with him… Even the way her expression shifted when she accepted his car ride. He knew that she was going through something. But for what and why? He needed to figure those out first before calling her out on it.

"I can't let it end like this," Ryuji muttered as the two neared the station entrance. "I'm gonna try and find someone who knows what's going on and ain't afraid of that bastard. Just you watch… I ain't giving up!"

Akira nodded with a smile, sharing the same passion. When the two reached the station, they parted ways and made their way home with determination by their side.

* * *

Diary Entry 4:

Today was the volleyball rally. I didn't really enjoy it… It was teachers vs. students. 3 rounds (or whatever they're called—I didn't really pay attention to the rules). One match per grade level. Only boys had to participate—the girls were in charge of cheering and that other stuff (like changing the score and stuff). I felt so uncomfortable, a part of me wanted to kill myself. It was like watching the volleyball coach yanking it off each time he scored a point.

Nanay, would you believe me if I said that abuse was being thrown down at school? And that EVERYONE knew about it? Even the parents? But still did nothing?

Well, as a ninja once said: believe it.

I'm so lost… I seriously don't know what to do. Holy Father, please guide me… Show me the path I must walk. Amen.


	10. Entry 10: Tomorrow

April 14th

In the middle of class, Akira found himself staring carelessly at his phone.

Ryuji: So about the witnesses... What if we talked to Takamaki?

He blinked and glanced to the back of the blonde's head in front of him. She was gazing out the window so it was safe to assume she wasn't paying attention. Just like their teacher, who failed to see him messaging so nonchalantly.

Akira: You think she'll help? I didn't know she was on the team.

Ryuji: She's not—just hear me out. Takamaki's BFFs with a girl on the team named Suzui.

Ryuji: I tried talking to her during break but got nothing. Maybe Takamaki knows something.

Akira: I don't think she'll willingly help us out, tbh… (￣ー￣；

Ryuji: I guess it would be hard to get her to talk. Sorry, lemme see what else I can come up with.

Akira sighed quietly as he pocketed his device, successfully not being caught. He didn't think that the task was impossible, just something that would take a lot of effort. Effort that he wasn't willing to so easily waste unless he knew for sure it would produce results.

The rest of the day went by uneventfully. There were a few questions and new rumors floating around about him though, regarding his glasses. They looked the same as ever, as if yesterday's accident didn't even occur. Ryuji was surprised as hell when the two bumped into each other earlier that morning. But he soon found out that the glasses were fake—the day Akira left home, there was a bunch of fake glasses with the same style on sale. He found them rather cute and like the way they changed his face. So he ended up buying them. Akira found Ryuji's questioning reaction rather humours.

Once classes were over, Ryuji texted Akira to come to the courtyard. He could sense that his blonde partner was having a bit of trouble from the digital words itself.

As Akira made his way through the hall, a lone girl with black hair had caught his eye. She was rather pretty, in her own plain way, but there was something that bothered him about her. She had a bad bruise over her eye with a black knee brace covering her right leg. She stood in front of the walkway door, staring sadly at her phone.

Akira found himself stopping in his tracks and staring. Noticing this, she turned around.

"What?" she asked in a soft tone. She blinked for a moment before realizing where she was. "Oh... I'm in the way, aren't I? Sorry."

Akira couldn't help but blush, captivated by her voice. It really suited her—gentle and frail with its own sense of beauty,

"N-No, it's not, uh… don't worry about it," said Akira as he nodded awkwardly. The knee brace was really starting to bother him… Maybe it was because he was hanging around with Ryuji, but he has become especially more sensitive about legs. "Um… I'm sorry, but, uh... A-Are you hurt?"

The girl held her arm and shifted back a bit, mumbling to herself. She glanced at the boy in front of her and gave him a sturdy stare. His blush deepened by her gaze, a tickle of sweat rolling down his jaw.

"You don't look familiar. Are you by any chance the transfer student from Class D?"

Akira stiffened, a twisted frown forming upon his lips. The rumors about him were still swirling around like fireflies at a muddled lake. God only knows what people told her. He nodded in reply, a quiet sigh escaping him.

The girl looked away shyly, her grip on her arm visibly relaxing.

"Um, this might not be my business, but... Don't let the rumors get to you. Okay?"

He blinked once more, his frown disappearing. Most people have been avoiding him and added more fuel to his rumor-centered fire. Not that he had noticed. But he could tell that the girl before him was different than the others. She was so kind, worrying about him more despite everything happening to her. A sheepish smile stretched his lips as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah, I'll try and keep my head up about it... Thank you."

His response seemed to cheer the downcast girl a bit, a small smile of her own forming.

"I'm glad to hear that... I helped someone with a similar situation before." A pained smile folded her face as she cast her eyes downward. "My best friend is often misunderstood too, all because of her looks…"

"O-Oh, that sounds tough..."

The girl shook her head, the pain in her smile growing. "I'm sorry, I realized that I've been dragging on… I didn't mean for that. Anyway, I have to get to practice. See you around…"

Akira felt something cold suddenly drop in his stomach. Without thinking, he grabbed her wrist. The girl turned around and looked at him with startled eyes.

Akira hesitated, his breath caught in his throat. "Don't go…"

The two stared at each other, the warmth of Akira's hand seeming to melt the girl's sadness. There was something so kind in his eyes… A part of her wanted to cave in and cry.

"You, um… Do you wanna grab or bite or something?" he asked, a desperate smile on his face. She pursed his lips together, holding back tears.

"Sorry… I can't skip practice…"

"What team?"

The girl couldn't even look at Akira in the eye anymore. She had a feeling that he knew the answer to that question… And telling him would cause something.

But the longer she felt his concerned orbs staring intensely at her small frame, she gave in.

"V… Volleyball…"

She squeezed her eyes shut and gently tugged her hand away, nodding goodbye before Akira could even had a chance to react. She turned and briskly walked away, limping slightly. His heart had stopped as she went off. If his theory was right… She wasn't going to practice. She was going to be devoured… Like Ann probably was. His hands clenched into fists, glasses glaring. They had to hurry and expose Kamoshida before it's too late... Turning around, he rushed to the courtyard.

As soon as he arrived, he saw Ryuji standing there, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Dammit. What the hell…" he muttered.

Akira sighed, the expression on his face saying, 'That bad, huh?' Seeing his partner that irritated, his own frustrations quickly melted away. Rubbing the back of his neck, he walked over to the vending machine and causally ordered a chocolate bar. However, it got stuck in the contraption, just being barely held by the end of the wrapper. Ryuji growled in his own annoyance and punched the vending machine, causing Akira's chocolate bar to fall over.

"All of 'em kept saying the same shit Mishima was talkin' about! Kamoshida must've told 'em something!"

Akira bent down and picked up his chocolate bar, snapping it in half. Opening the wrapper, he offered the first half to his angry friend. Ryuji took a deep breath and reluctantly accepted the treat, shoving the entire half into his mouth.

"At phis wate... 't wooks wike we' hab to go to 'im diwectry."

"Denied," Akira stated simply. There was no way he was going to confront a grown man with priority over him. Especially not with his delicate situation floating above him like a vulnerable halo which was free to grab and threaten.

Ryuji swallowed his snack and sighed. "Isn't there somethin' we can do? I don't wanna just give in like this! You got any ideas?"

Akira took a bite of his chocolate and pinched his bangs with his free hand. There was a simple answer to this, but he wasn't sure as to how they could execute it.

What was it Morgana talked about before? He mentioned something about investigating the castle, right? Akira wondered. He frowned. Damnit, I really need to pay attention when he talks...

Shrugging, Akira rested his bag on the table in the middle of the courtyard and said, "We can't do anything about it in this world, so… Let's punish the king."

"'The king...?'" Ryuji repeated with a confused expression. "You mean that other Kamoshida? I didn't think of that… But is there any meaning to—"

"Ah ha! I finally found you..."

The pair froze. Confused, Ryuji looked around them but no one seemed to be nearby.

"Was that you?" he asked. Akira shook his head, a surprised smile on his face. Ryuji tilted his head at the expression. "Then... Why are you smiling?"

A black cat suddenly hopped up on the table, its piercing blue eyes and yellow collar seeming familiar to the blonde.

"Don't think you can get away with not paying me back for helping you," it hissed.

Ryuji's jaw dropped as his arms dangled in front of him. "That voice… I-Is that you Morgana?!" He was absolutely baffled at the idea.

Akira, on the other hand, was having a fucking trip. His face light up with a light red coat, his smile stretching into a happy grin. It was no surprise by now that he was fond of Morgana's form back in the Metaverse, but seeing him as a pettable, real size cat was like having three holidays occuring all at the same time. He suddenly had a strong desire to find a yellow crescent moon sticker and put it on Morgana's forehead...

"How dare you two just up and leave me the other day!" he continued to hiss.

"The cat's talkin'!?" Ryuji squeaked, his voice cracking.

"I am NOT a cat! This is just what happened when I came to this world. It was a lot of trouble, finding you two."

Ryuji blinked and walked up to the table, Morgana sitting on his behind with a glare. "Wait... You came to our world!?" He gasped and leaned in with wide eyes. "Does that mean you've got a phone too?!"

Akira couldn't help but laugh, shortly suppressing it when the others looked at him. He turned around, quietly trying to recover.

Ryuji can be so cute sometimes! Akira thought, another short laugh escaping him. It's so fun watching him get stupidly excited!

Morgana sighed, licking his right paw. "You don't need a device to switch worlds when you're at my level. I did get pretty lost along the way, though..."

"That aside why can you talk? You're a cat!"

"How should I know?!"

"Aki, you hearin' this too, right?" Ryuji suddenly asked, causing the dark haired boy to turn around—a feline like smile on his face. "You weren't laughin' earlier because I suddenly asked a cat if it had a phone, right…?"

Akira pursed his lips together, restraining the urge to laugh as he raised his hands up to his chin, curling his wrist like a cat and meowed quizzically. A vein faintly popped at Ryuji's forehead as he stomped his foot to the ground with a glare.

"This is no time to be jokin' around!"

Morgana sighed once again and cleaned his fur. He looked as if he was done with all the fun and games. "You guys are having a rough time with this, hm? I heard you mention something about witnesses?"

Ryuji shot his glare to the cat upon noticing a teasing smirk on his lips. "Shuddap!"

"You know, I could tell you a thing or two about handling Kamoshida. You were pretty close a moment ago, Frizzy Hair."

Akira flicked his bangs flamboyantly, shortly pushing up his glasses as if to say 'Of course~'. Ryuji glowered, crossing his arms over his chest.

"God, that condescendin' attitude… This thing's gotta be Morgana!" he huffed.

"You were still doubting me!?"

Ryuji stepped forward, ready to bark out another comeback, when Akira raised a hand—catching his attention.

"As much fun as this is, we should probably move to a more private location," he suggested, pointing over to a group of teachers walking around. They each shared a look of annoyance.

"I just heard a meow somewhere near here. Didn't you hear it?"

"Make sure you check every corner for it."

"Meow…?" Ryuji murmured. He stood up properly as he watched the men walk away from them. "Does that mean only we can understand what he's sayin'?"

"That's my guess," Akira nodded. He looked down at Morgana as he removed his bag from his shoulder, a sheepish grin forming. "Sorry to do this to you, Morgana… But can you please hide in my bag as we move somewhere to talk?"

He sighed, standing up. "Normally I wouldn't allow you to treat me like this, but it seems I have no other choice…"

Akira blushed a bit as he scooped up Morgana, gently placing him in his bag. It was fairly organized and had more than enough room for the animal. Shyly, Akira scratched the cat's head, earning a pleased purr. A silly, pleased expression fell on the boy's face as he sighed happily.

"I forgot you like cats…" Ryuji mumbled, a little annoyed by their exchange. "Come on let's head up to the roof."

He nodded and gentle zipped Morgana up, the two shortly taking off. At times like these, it was nice to have so many rumors surround them. Once they were spotted walking, bystanders quickly averted their eyes and whispered amongst themselves. And it was thanks to that, they found themselves at the abandoned door. Ryuji pulled out a key from his pocket and unlocked the door, pushing it open.

But, weirdly enough, he didn't go any further.

Akira blinked and looked over his shoulder, the two now stuck at the entrance.

Someone had beaten them there.

The longer they stared at them, the two boys quickly found themselves relaxed. It wasn't a teacher or a student council member. It was just another student.

Akira blinked in realization, a soft gasp escaping him. It was the small, black-haired girl he bumped into yesterday—the blue headphones dangling from her neck acting as an identifier. She was sitting atop a cleared-out table that bore only her boring bag and a plain pencil pouch.

"Hey," Ryuji called out as he walked towards her. Akira couldn't help but flinch in surprise, meekly following after him. "Don't mean to be a bother, but we need some privacy up here. D'ya mind?"

The girl looked up at him and blinked. Walking closer to her, Akira pursed his lips as he noticed an ugly bruise resting on the side of her head. It didn't suit her nice face… But at the same time, it did. Her eyes were a dark green—likely contacts—that had no shine to them, Empty, like a fish. She was rather thin with mature curves; something he noticed when she stood up.

"It's no problem. Sorry, I'll get out of your way," she hummed, sliding a knitted bookmark in between the pages that she had been reading. She packed up her things, sliding her sack up her shoulder, briskly making her way to the door.

"Later, Mizuki-san," Ryuji muttered as she walked by them, earning a nod of acknowledgment. She walked with near perfect posture, her shortness really showing. If Akira had to make a guess, she was about 5'2". He looked over his shoulder, watching her walk off to the shadows. Her hair was much longer than he first noticed, swinging to and fro, the tip touching the middle of her back. It was rather impressive as it was in a ponytail.

Suddenly, the ponytail turned and revealed a pair of deep green eyes—glowing with complexity unlike her earlier dead look. Akira blinked in surprise, the two staring at each other for a brief moment. Her face bore no expression, but to the dark haired boy, it seemed as if a smile was shyly greeting him. But before he could greet back with, the girl turned around and placed her headphones over her ears.

Soon, she disappeared completely from his sight. Ryuji let out a long sigh, the intensity within him and his partner melting away.

"Now, back to business," Ryuji huffed, grabbing Akira's back. Unzipping it, he grabbed Morgana by the collar—earning a hiss—and dropped him on the ground.

"Don't be so rough with me!" Morgana fizzed. Ryuji rolled his eyes at the feline and his friend, who frowned in disapproval.

"'Nuff of that. You said you know how we can stop Kamoshida, yeah?" Ryuji asked. Morgana nodded, looking over at the simpler individual who sat down on the table.

"It has to do with what this guy was talking about earlier," Morgana began. "You'll need to attack his castle."

"What do you mean...?" Ryuji scratched his head in confusion. Akira, on the other hand, was distracted by the pencil pouch the girl had. She was so desperate to leave she must have forgotten it. Strange, as the girl seemed so calm about it all, with the way she acted towards them.

I'll pocket this for now and return it to her tomorrow, Akira decided as he stuffed it in his bag.

"The castle is how Kamoshida views this school. He doesn't realize what happens in there, but it's deeply connected to the depths of his heart. Thus, if the castle disappears, it would naturally impact the real Kamoshida."

"What'd happen?"

"A Palace is a manifestation of a person's distorted desires. So, if that castle were no more..." Morgana stretched his last words a little, wanting to give the blonde lad a chance to prove himself that he wasn't a complete idiot.

"His desires would go, too," Akira answered, now contributing to the conversation. Morgana smiled, a little upset that Akira answered instead, but happy nonetheless. At least one of the two was catching on.

"Precisely. You sure pick up things fast!" Morgana praised.

Ryuji gasped, having realized what was just said. "F-For real?! He's gonna turn good!? Oh, but… is that really gettin' back at him?"

"Erasing a Palace essentially means forcing the owner to have a change of heart," Morgana began. He too took a seat on the ground. "However, even though their warped wants disappear, the crimes they committed remain. Kamoshida will become unable to bear the weight of those crimes, and he'll confess them himself!"

Akira hummed, nodding in understanding. It was simple enough… Like seeing a lie you innocently made play out and make things go sour—causing you to apologize and admit it was a lie. Ryuji, based on his expression alone, was skeptical about it.

"Since the Palace will no longer exist, he'll forget what we did there as well. Not only will we be able to bring Kamoshida down, but there won't even be a trace of our involvement."

That was enough to convince Ryuji. He smiled, exhaling with relief, "That's amazing! You are one incredible cat!"

"True… except for the cat part!" Morgana hissed, cleaning himself once again.

"So? How do we get rid of the Palace!?"

Morgana stood up, stretching his hind legs. "By stealing the treasure held within."

"Stealing?"

"I'll tell you more when you agree to go along with this. It's my most valuable, secret plan after all. If you want to help me out, I'll gladly teach you. What's your call?"

"There's no other way… We got no choice but to go along." They already reached the conclusion that they weren't going to get anywhere with the witnesses business or asking the team members. Ryuji scratched his head and looked over at Akira with a shrug. He was a bit surprised to see his partner looking a bit... ominous. His hands were tied together, the knuckles holding his chin up; his glasses were glaring from the sun. He seemed to be deep in thought…

"Good…" Morgana purred. "Oh, right. There's one more thing I should tell you. If we erase a Palace, the distorted desires formed to create it will disappear as well. But desires are what we all need in order to survive."

Akira's hands visibly tensed, his already ominous appearance hardening. Ryuji shot a quick glance at Morgana to show that he was listening before returning his gaze to his friend. He wanted to ask what was wrong, but… Every bone in his body was telling him not to. He would open his mouth, but nothing would come out.

Morgana failed to realize the nervousness surrounding Ryuji as he continued, "The will to sleep, eat, fall in love—those sorts of things. If all of those yearnings were to vanish, they'd be no different than someone who has shut down entirely. They may even die if they're not given the proper care."

That caught Ryuji's attention.

"They might die…!?" he exclaimed in shock.

"Will you listen to everything I have to say first?" Morgana sighed. Akirasucked in a corner of his upper lip, biting it in thought.

"Would their death be our fault…?"

"Aren't you determined enough to take that risk?" Morgana asked as he glanced over to Akira. He didn't move at first, before suddenly jumping off the table he sat on.

"...I don't want to kill him," Akira mumbled. He had an intense far away look in his eyes, the gears in his head still turning at a rapid pace. He still needed some time to think.

"Sheesh... I came all this way, and this is what I get. It's not like anyone will ever find out—" the cat began in exasperation. His words were cut short by a stomp from the dark haired boy.

Silence.

Akira lowered his head and rubbed the back of his neck, a quiet apology escaping him. He accidentally let his anger get the best of him.

"...No one might ever know, but we would. It would be a burden on our persons," Akira explained quietly, feeling the feline's questioning stare.

"E-Exactly!" Ryuji added in, a sudden urge to take the spotlight from Akira welling up inside. "If we just go around secretly doin' whatever the hell we wanted, we'd be no better than that 'effing Kamoshida…"

"...Isn't this your only option?" Morgana asked, a hint of annoyance in his meow. "...I'll come back later. Make sure you've made your decision by then."

With that, the cat trailed away, leaving Ryuji and Akira on the roof alone. Both of them needed a moment to calm themselves. They knew that this was the only way… But neither of them were willing to kill him. He was an absolute asshole, yes, but by taking away his life—it wouldn't be complete justice. The death of a man like that would only bring another to life. That's what Akira believed.

"Damnit... We're gettin' all worked up for nothing," Ryuji huffed. He would've been more upset, but the sulking individual next to him had stolen that spotlight earlier.

He walked over and held his shoulder briefly. "C'mon, lets get out of here."

Akira nodded, his head still hanging. It was starting to make Ryuji worry. He smiled a little and shook Akira around a bit.

"Hey, c'mon, man. I know it sucks, but we'll figure somethin' out! We ain't giving up yet," he pointed out. A chuckle escaped him as he looked up with a sad smile. He nodded and turned around, making his way to the door.

"Hey, Aki… You gonna be okay?" Ryuji asked as he caught up to him. Akira nodded with a sigh, pinching his bangs. Ryuji wasn't satisfied with that answer but refrained from saying more. The two walked through the school, Ryuji glaring at the few students still inside that whispered about his friend. They were seriously getting out of control, and each new rumor that he heard made his blood boil.

Akira excused himself for a moment to use the restroom before leaving, to which Ryuji decided to try and gather more information. Maybe, just maybe, this was their lucky break to find something—or someone— who could help punish Kamoshida.

Once Akira was done, the two met up again and slipped on their outdoor shoes, walked out the school.

"Hey, so… About that girl from earlier," Akira began as they walked out the gates. Ryuji made a face, unsure how to feel about that girl being the first thing that escaped his mouth after not speaking for about fifteen minutes.

"Her name's Madoka Mizuki," Ryuji began, flinging his bag over his shoulder. "Don't worry about her too much—she's a total nutcase."

"How so?"

"I dunno the details, but like, she's supposed to be a super good psychology student or somethin'? She got colleges linin' up left 'n right to give her full scholarships for some of the best psychology majors out there. But I tell you, she's weird."

Akira hummed, allowing his friend to continue. Ryuji scratched the back of his head.

"She's bullied a ton 'cause lots of students are jealous, y'know? But she rarely gets away with anythin' more than a bruise or two. And even though lots of people really hate her, they rarely rat her out or gossip 'bout her. It's like she's blackmailing 'em or somethin'…"

"Huh," Akira hummed, seemingly satisfied with that info. He didn't believe it, don't misunderstand. She didn't seem to be the type to blackmail… If anything, Akira was a more accurate description of an individual to do such a thing. That's certainly what others thought.

"Oh yeah!" Ryuji suddenly gasped. "I heard somethin' about that Suzui girl earlier. Looks like there's a buncha rumors going 'round about that her and Kamoshida..."

Akira pursed his lips. His theory was getting warmer.

Not noticing it, Ryuji continued. "If they're true, no wonder I couldn't get her to talk. But it feels off."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I mean… I've known Takamaki and Suzui since middle school and I know for a fact that he's not their type."

Akira raised a teasing brow. "You keep tabs on girls' types?"

Ryuji opened his mouth to argue, but noticing the teasing nature, he smiled in relief. "Dude, that's not the point here. If they're not true, who started spreading it around?"

Akira sighed and shrugged. He didn't have any suspicions yet regarding that.

When they reached the station, the boys parted ways and hopped on their perspective subway. They had a lot to think about tonight…

When Akira arrived at the Ginza station, he found himself swaying to the smell of freshly baked bread and pastries. He didn't really eat much today and he could really go for some sweets. Passing by the cafe Yon-Germain, he eyed the prices of the desserts on display. They were fairly cheap for such high quality desserts, but too expensive for the loose change in his wallet.

They look so fluffy and light, Akira observed, eyeing the cakes. The cream is so sparkly… Oh whoa, look at all those fruits! Did they glaze it? They somehow made me attracted to kiwi, what the hell?

"Can I help you with anything, sir?" the cashier suddenly asked with a smile. Akira flinched, realizing that he had stopped walking, full on staring at the cakes in display. He blushed, looking down the hall where the stairs were and at the cashier.

"Uh, no, I-I…! U-Um, I-I mean…!" Akira stammered. The cashier smiled, seemingly entertained by his nervousness. He bowed and excused himself, briskly walking away. Walking down the stairs, he sighed and pinched his bangs meekly.

"Will you please just give it a rest?! I told you, I'm not feeling up to it today..."

Akira blinked, noticing an angry head of blonde pigtails angrily barking at someone on the phone. It was Takamaki. Concerned, he began inching closer as the girl continued on.

"Wait, what...!? That's not what you promised!"

As he inched closer, the distraught on Takamaki's face grew as well as Akira's concern.

"And you call yourself a teacher!? This has nothing to do with Shiho!" she shouted.

The person on the other line must've said something crazy before hanging up, leaving the blonde speechless. She stared at her phone with confliction before sinking to the ground, wallowing and murmuring to herself.

Akira stared at her small figure, his own conflicts rising up. He would've just left by now, pretending to have heard nothing. But with everything going on with Kamoshida and his theory on the female students, he couldn't turn a blind eye. And they weren't at school, so no one was going to spread more rumors about him and make his life harder.

"...Takamaki-san?" he called out shyly, approaching her. Her head turned to him, her foreign blue eyes glistening with tears that were ready to seep out. Realizing who it was, she jumped to her feet and stepped away from him, a nervous hand on her bag strap.

"It's you…" she exhaled. "Wait… were you listening?"

"U-Um… Not on purpose…"

Ann frowned. "Don't you know anything about privacy?"

"I-I'm sorry…" Akira bowed apologetically. He knew he wasn't really at fault here, seeing as how she wasn't exactly in a private place and was practically broadcasting her trouble, but he knew she was going through something awful… And the last thing he wanted to do was to make her even more upset.

"...No, I was out of line. Sorry," Ann apologized. She wiped her eyes, steeling herself, as Akira stood up. "So… How much did you hear?"

"Something about a friend…?" Akira replied. He wasn't entirely sure about the 'friend' part, but it was his best guess. The girl looked down, muttering a name to herself. She shook her head and shot Akira an attempting glare. Her eyes were starting to water again.

"It's nothing at all, forget what you heard," she suggested, wiping her eyes once again. She then darted off, earning a gasp from Akira.

How annoying… Keeping things to yourself to the point of crying isn't cute at all, he complained as he clicked his tongue with worry, shortly running after her.

Ann made her way down to the plaza, resting next to a green pillar when she assumed she was safe. Tears began to fall, her lips squeezing together to suppress any sobs that wanted to escape. The sounds of heavy footsteps and panting caught her attention, causing her to unconsciously turn around. Akira managed to keep up with her, though he looked exhausted and rather pathetic.

As soon as he was standing in front of her, he bent over and started coughing, panting like a child with asthma.

"Holy… damn, you're fast… How do you even… run in those shoes?" he wheezed, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

"I didn't even run that far…" Ann muttered, a little surprised by his fatigue.

"I… am not fit for… sprinting or long runs…" He started coughing again. Maybe it was because of his lacking adrenaline like from the Metaverse, but the little chase really wore him out.

"Then why did you follow me?! Leave me alone!"

"I can't." Ann's eyes widened, tears forming once again. Akira stood up, his concerned orbs plucking at her heart strings. "You… seemed really upset in that call... I want to make sure you're okay."

The tears began to fall again, her guard melting away. "Why…? Why do you keep worrying about me?"

She began to cry, unable to hold herself back anymore. Akira made a face, rubbing the back of his neck. He shuffled through his bag and pulled out his mother's handkerchief, handing it to Ann.

"It's only natural for humans to care about others, right?" he smiled reassuringly. She blushed, a rather hoarse laugh escaping between her sobs.

"What the heck…? I really don't get you," she hiccuped, shyly taking his handkerchief and wiping her eyes.

"No one really does… Let's go to a safe place to chat."

She nodded, caving in to his kindness. The two walked over to a nearby cafe and took seats near the back, the setting sun making it rather romantic with its orange tinge over the red colors. They sat across from each other, Ann sitting on the cushioned red couch in front of the window and Akira in the cold Despite Ann's protest, Akira ordered them glasses of milk.

"It's my go-to whenever I get upset. Because… y'know the saying? No use crying over spilt milk? It, uh… It reminds me of that, and I… end up calming down after a glass," he explained. He was being serious about it, but he became rather shy with the romantic setting, so it sounded a bit awkward.

For a while, they sat there in complete silence. No one could speak... But they had the same person on their mind. Takamaki couldn't bear the silence anymore. She leaned forward, playing with the handkerchief.

"I don't have to tell you anything. It was just an argument…" she mumbled. Her fingers stopped when they grazed across the Filipino flag embroidered, blankly staring at it. She had some questions, but didn't have the strength to ask… Her main concern about it was the tears and snot she ended up wiping with it.

"...With Kamoshida?" he asked. The blonde tensed. All the stress was weighing down on her mind. She knew she was gonna go crazy if she kept it all in any longer. Her gaze locked onto Akira who stared at her with patience. She could tell that he wasn't going to let her leave without spilling.

With a quiet sigh, she rested her head in the palm of her left.

"You've heard the rumors… haven't you? About Kamoshida?" she asked. "Everyone says we're getting it on. But… it's not true…!"

But he is sexually harassing you, Akira pointed out, remaining silent.

"...It was him on the other line. I avoided giving him my number for the longest time… He told me to go to his place after this…"

It was Akira's time to tense. He was right after all. Not wanting to interrupt the girl, he grabbed his glass of milk and took a gulp.

"If I turned him down, he said he's take my friend off as a regular on the team…" Ann went on, struggling to compose herself. Her nails was starting to dug into her cheek—her already red eyes starting to tear up again. "I've been telling myself that this is all for Shiho's sake… But I can't take it anymore. I've had enough of this… I hate him!"

Watching Takamaki struggle to hold back her sobs and tears was agonizing. The way her head hung low, the tears effortlessly falling like rain... He took another gulp.

"But still… Shiho's my best friend. She's all I have in that sorry excuse of a school!" she shouted. "Tell me... what should I do?"

Akira gritted his teeth as she flashed him a desperate look, her lips trembling. His words were stuck, buzzing around in his head instead of leaving his mouth. He felt so powerless… and hated it. He took a swig of his milk, finishing it. He let out a sigh, running his fingers through his hair.

His lack of words didn't surprise Ann. Instead, she dried her tears with his handkerchief and caught her breath.

"Sorry… I shouldn't have asked. It's not your problem," she sighed. She leaned back, her head hanging low with embarrassment. "Jeez, what am I doing...? I've barely even talked to you before and here I am, dumping my problems on you…"

Akira looked down, nodding in apology. But when he looked back up at her, he smiled sheepishly.

"I don't mind being a shoulder to cry on," he reassured. She smiled a little at his comment. Glancing down at his now empty glass, she picked up her share and took a sip. Much to her surprise, it really did calm her nerves. Was it something milk always did? Or did it have an effect on her now because of the boy in front of her?

"...You know, you're really weird. Usually everyone just ignores me," she hummed, a perplexed look etched on her face. She took another sip and looked up at him. "Are you really as bad as the rumors say…? You really don't seem like it…"

Akira pushed up his glasses flamboyantly and chuckled with an exaggerated British accent, "My dear, I'm bad to the bone."

Ann laughed, a surprised smile stretching her lips. "You don't seem so bad... I sort of had a feeling those rumors were exaggerated."

Akira smiled, a light pink dusting his cheeks. He was enchanted once again by her smile.

"...You know, you seemed lonely—almost like you didn't belong anywhere." She sighed, flicking her right pigtail off her shoulder. "We're the same in that regard... Maybe that's why it was so easy talking to you."

Akira hummed, hoping that to be the case. Ann took another sip before letting out a loud sigh with a frown. "Is there really nothing I can do to help Shiho?"

"...All you can really do is to be there for her," he muttered. "Make sure she knows that you're there for her."

Takamaki nodded and leaned back in her seat. There was a bit of silence between them, when Akira suddenly stood up.

"I better go pay for the drinks. If you have to ride the subway, I don't want you to miss it." Ann blinked in surprise as she watched him walk over to cashier. He talked with the cashier for a bit, shortly flinching in surprise. The drinks must have been more than he anticipated. But he pulled out money from his pocket and awkwardly placed it down on the counter instead of the cashier's hand. Ann smiled and looked down at her glass of milk.

He's not bad at all…

After Ann chugged the rest of her drink, the two packed up and made their way back to the station. They stopped right in front of the stairs where Akira needed to go.

"What's on your mind?" he asked, noticing her silence. She tugged her lips to the left, a little hesitant to say.

"...I just wish he'd forget about me and everything… You know? It would make life so much easier," she mumbled. Akira stared at her for a moment before patting her head, earning a surprised gasp.

"It could happen," he said with a gentle smile. "For now, just focus on helping your friend. She's important to you, after all."

Ann smiled unconsciously, a chuckle escaping her. "I wasn't asking for a serious answer... But it made me feel a little better. So thanks."

He nodded innocently, already planning on what to do tomorrow. He waved goodbye and started making his way down, when she suddenly pulled him back by the collar.

"Don't tell anyone about this, okay?" she whispered into his ear. He blushed and nodded obediently. With that she let go of him and made her way to her destination, disappeared into the crowd of Shibuya residents. Akira cleared his throat, rubbing his ear, before making his way down.

* * *

Diary Entry 5:

Tomorrow is going to be an important day for me, Nanay. I'm going to be doing some good. Hopefully, if it isn't too late.

Oh, I let a girl from school borrow my handkerchief. She ended up taking it home—probably to wash it. I don't mind, but hopefully she doesn't accidentally make things harder on me… Things were tough for me back in the countryside, and with how weird the city is, who KNOWS what'll happen to me if they find out.

Holy Father, watch over me in these upcoming trials… I'll be needing your guidance. Amen.


	11. Entry 11: Murderer

April 15

Akira blinked at Ann, who was standing in front of his desk. The two hadn't exchanged words, but she certainly greeted him—by extending his handkerchief out to him. It looked newly washed, the history completely gone from the fabric. The blonde didn't show any signs of aggression or whatnot. She was simply returning it to him.

Akira made a face, hearing the few students in their class whisper about the duo and the cloth. It was folded up into a neat square, the embroidered flag in full display. The boy quickly snatched it and pocketed it (after a quick graze of the stitching) before anyone else saw. Ann's eyes widened a bit in surprise by the quick gesture, but didn't question it and took her seat.

Class started soon after their interaction, with Ushimaru starting social studies by writing the lesson on the chalkboard. Akira was only listening a little, his mind drifting to the whispering volleyball members he overheard earlier on his way to school.

"I can't believe Suzui-senpai missed such an important meeting. I wonder what happened."

"Mr. Kamoshida asked to see her…"

"You know, I've been hearing rumors about how Mr. Kamoshida and Suzui-senpai stay late…"

"She always shows up to meetings though. It's weird she wasn't at the one yesterday…"

Akira sighed and rubbed his handkerchief in his pocket for comfort. He had a bad feeling since last night regarding the Suzui girl… He shook his head, turning his attention to Ushimaru. As distracted as he was, he had to at least pay attention at least a little and write it down.

"The National Diet is the legislative, the Cabinet is the executive, and the Supreme Court is judiciary," be began. He seemed to be talking about the government. "This division of power provides checks and balances, which ensures no single branch becomes too powerful."

Akira nodded and looked inside his desk to grab a pencil. His jaw nearly broke in surprise at what he saw.

"Have you made up your mind?" Morgana, who was stuffed rather comfortably, whispered. The boy was too shocked to say anything. "No matter how much thinking you do, there's only one option. You're better off just listening to me."

Remembering what occurred yesterday, Akira glared down at the feline, his eyes loudly screaming 'If you wanna live: DON'T. FUCKING. TALK.'

"Hm? Did I just hear a cat?" Ushimaru asked, turning around. Morgana stuffed his head inside the desk, making sure he wasn't seen. The class started to buzz with mixed reactions—some pet lovers rather excited to see if there was a cat in the room while others were confused.

Ushimaru became annoyed by his chattering students and waved a hand in the air. "Settle down! We're in the middle of an important lecture!"

The class obeyed, some students still glancing about to try and find the cat. As he turned back to the board, Akira phone vibrated in his pocket. Not wanting to get caught by the alert man, he carefully pulled it out and rested it in front of Morgana. For his eyes, he turned down the brightness of the screen.

 **Ryuji: Dude, what're we gonna do about Kamoshida?**

 **Ryuji: Do we just go along with what that cat says? Ugh, damn furball...**

He glanced up at the teacher, just in time to see him call on a student near the window to read a selection.

 **Akira: Can't really talk right now, dude. We'll talk about it later.**

 **Ryuji: Did ya come up with somethin'?**

 **Akira: You can say that. I'll tell you durin' break!** **( ﾟｏ⌒)**

As Akira pocket his phone, Morgana hissed quietly, whispering, "If only he knew I was reading this too…"

The boy smiled reassuringly and petted the cat.

"Hey... What's that...!?"

The students turned their attention to the boy who suddenly shouted. He was in the middle of answering Ushimaru's question when something had caught his eye. The teacher was quick to scold him, but the student behind him suddenly gasped.

"Wait... She's going to jump!" she shrieked.

Murmurs broke out around the room, multiple students pulling out their phones. One by one people stood up to get a better look. Even Mishima, who was usually well-behaved, stood with a pale face.

"Suzui..?" he uttered, just loud enough to strike a cord with Takamaki. She jumped out of her seat and bolted out of the room. Akira didn't hesitate to follow. The teacher attempted to keep everyone inside but it proved futile. Soon, the hallway was crowded with students gazing out the window. Upon noticing this, students from neighboring classrooms also stepped out, shortly joining the shock. Those that knew the girl called her name, others pulled out their phones, but a majority simply watched in horror.

Once Ann and Akira reached the window, their stomachs clenched.

The girl 'Suzui Shiho'—Ann's best friend—was none other than the volleyball girl Akira bumped into. The girl he tried to stop, but failed.

She stood before them on the edge of the rooftop.

Staring absently at the scene before her.

Eyes cold and glazed over.

Like a corpse.

She lowered her head, as if saying one final farewell.

And tilted forward.

Akira's eyes widened as screams of terror erupted. Those that were brave enough to look out the window found her body laying crooked on the ground, unmoving. Teachers called for their students to return to their classes, but they fell on deaf ears.

"No… Why…?" Ann whispered, taking a step back with trembling hands that barely covered her broken eyes. Shiho's falling replayed over in her mind.

Roof. Air. Gone.  
Roof. Air. Gone.  
Roof. Air. Gone.  
Roof. Air. Dead.

 _ **Dead.**_

She suddenly darted down the hall as the thought entered her mind. She bumped shoulders with Akira, who remained silent about the whole ordeal. His heart was beating an angry tune, his mind being swallowed up by one man.

"H-Hey, Aki! What's goin' on!?"

Akira didn't even looked at who called his name, recognizing the voice to be Ryuji. The blonde delinquent had heard the screams from the bathroom, where he was ditching class, and rushed out. Noticing everyone's attention, he looked out the window and nearly fell out it in shock.

"Wha-What the hell!?" he shouted, turning his attention to Akira. The dark haired boy said nothing. He jerked his head down the hall and began to walk. Ryuji gulped, quietly followed him.

Unlike the other students that rushed down with panic, Akira walked with large, steady steps. He jumped down the stairs, the sound of his landing acting as a warning to those who heard it. Noticing the crowd that blocked the main entrance way, they rushed over to the practice building. A crowd awaited them there as well, but it wasn't as intense as the first one.

"Hey, I've gotta get past here!" Ryuji shouted as he pushed through the crowd, Akira closely behind.

When they made it to the courtyard, an ambulance had arrived and Shiho was in a stretcher. Teachers were panicking, trying to usher students back to class. But they were too distracted, recording the events transpiring.

"What the hell's wrong with these people…!?" Ryuji growled, glaring at all the students recording.

Akira glanced around, quickly locating the other blonde he was acquaintanced with. He silently made his was over to her, noticing that she was sitting right beside her best friend. If he pulled out a dictionary, her face would be the definition of worry. It seemed like they were about to load the victim in, quickly performing the necessary procedures, as Ann whispered to the laying girl. The fall wasn't fatal it seemed. But her leg… Even underneath the blanket, the students in the crowd could tell it was twisted the wrong way.

The lights of the emergency vehicle blared to life as they took the two away. The courtyard was buzzing, but it failed to reach the dark haired student. He heard and saw nothing. It was his tunnel vision acting up again. All he saw was the path leading somewhere.

Suddenly, he jerked his head—the sound of running footsteps somehow catching his attention. The person running was a blob at first… but it soon cleared.

 _Mishima_ , Akira identified. _He knows something._ Without a second thought, he ran after him; bumping into blobs of flesh that meant nothing to him.

Thanks to his tunnel vision, it was easy for him to keep his eyes on Mishima and Mishima only. He wasn't going to be distracted by anything. And that proved to be the case when he managed to catch up with the athletic boy, grabbing him by the wrist. He turned around, eyes wide. The two said nothing, the sound of running footsteps catching Akira's attention. It was Ryuji, who managed to follow after.

"We're gonna make you talk this time," Ryuji growled, grabbing Mishima's other wrist. Akira let go as the three walked over to an enclosed corridor, free from witnesses. Ryuji threw the boy against the wall, earning a meek yelp of pain.

"Why'd you run off like that? Huh!?" Ryuji asked.

"I didn't run…" Mishima argued. The blonde delinquent slammed a fist to the lockers beside him, the timid boy jumping in surprise.

"She jumped and tried to kill herself!"

The two boys started to tremble—the blonde in anger and the behaved student in fear. Akira was in a place that didn't allow him to feel anything. He was waiting for the trigger to be pulled so he could finally let loose.

"...L-Leave me alone…!" Mishima whimpered.

"If you know something, just tell us. By keeping quiet, you're going to end up a murderer," Akira spoke. Well, he _assumed_ he spoke. He had never tried to speak before while experiencing tunnel vision. He couldn't even hear himself. For all he know, he simply thought those words. But based on the timid boy's reaction, he figured that he did actually say them.

"M-Murderer…?" he repeated.

"He's right," Ryuji interrupted. "We ain't tryin' to get you busted... We won't even mention you at all! But someone almost _died_ today…"

"Suzui…"

Mishima's head dropped as he scratched it with frustration. Finally, he decided to spill.

"She was called out by Mr. Kamoshida!"

Ryuji stiffened in surprise. He wasn't expecting that. "W-Wait, what?"

Mishima spilled the truth behind Kamoshida. How he'd call the members of his volleyball team to the teacher's room and hit them whenever he was in a bad mood. It was true regarding the rumors of physical punishment… But no one dared to say anything after they discovered the hard way that they were powerless. Trying only made the punishments worse.

"Mr. Kamoshida seemed really irritated that day, so it must've been... worse than usual…"

It was Akira's turn to hit something. He kicked the tools in front of him, causing them to flip and fall over.

"What kinda hell hole is this?" he asked to no one in particular. With the satisfaction of kicking the tools, his tunnel vision started to widen. He could hear his voice now. His tone was a lot more pissed than he thought. "I'm supposed to stand here and believe that an asswipe called Kamo _shit_ a can not only get away with physical abuse and sexual harassment… But possibly sexual assault, too?"

"That son of a bitch...!" Ryuji shouted. He turned and ran as fast as his bad leg could take him. Akira looked at Mishima, as if to say 'you can tag along if you want', before following his partner.

He managed to catch up with him the moment he entered the P.E. faculty office, both panting. Kamoshida casually turned to them.

"You bastard! The hell did you do to that girl!?" Ryuji yelled.

Disinterested, the man turned back to his work, waving a hand. "What are you talking about?"

Ryuji kicked the folding chair next to him. "Don't play dumb with me!"

"That is enough!" Kamoshida shouted, turning to face the students entirely.

"What you did... wasn't coaching..!" Mishima spoke, entering the room. He ended up following them in the end but didn't find the courage to enter at first. But hearing Ryuji's anger, the delinquents words resonating within him, he managed to step in as well. Akira felt a bit of pride in his stomach at the timid boy's revolution.

"What did you say?" Kamoshida asked, glaring daggers. Mishima refused to step down.

"You... You ordered me to call Suzui here... I can only imagine what you did to her...!"

The man scowled in annoyance, his voice low and his words slow as he rose from his seat, his massive body looming over them. "You're going on and on about things you have no proof of... Basically, you're simply making these claims because you can't be a regular on the team, right?"

"That's not what this is about!"

Kamoshida bent over a little, staring eye to eye with Ryuji who was the closest to him. "Even if it _is_ exactly as you imagine it to be, hypothetically speaking... what can you do?"

The boys' flinched.

"We just received a call from the hospital. Suzui's in a coma, and her chances of recovery of recovery are slim... How would someone like that make a statement?"

Akira tensed, the other two stiffening with shock. Kamoshida frowned and put a hand to his forehead in fake distraught, sighing. "There's practically no chance of her getting better, I hear... The poor girl."

"No… That can't be..." Mishima uttered under his breath, his head hanging low.

Ryuji's hands balled up into fists, his body shaking with unbridled rage.

"You goddamn…!" he growled.

" _This_ again?" Kamoshida sighed, placing his hands over his hips. "Does this mean we need, yet again, _another_ case of 'self defense'?"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH, YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Akira reached out and grabbed Ryuji's wrist, right as he raised his fist to attack. Ryuji looked back at, strangely enough feeling his anger being… almost melted away at his touch. He was so confused by the sensation and by his partner's action, he couldn't even speak.

Akira simply shook his head and let go of his wrist, his body relaxing.

"Oh? You're stopping him? What a surprise," Kamoshida commented, a genuine look of surprise etched on his face. He grinned and crossed his arms over his chest. "There's no need to hold back. Why not attack me? Oh… Oh, that's right! You _can't_. Hahaha, but of course you can't!"

Kamoshida sighed, as if bored by the anti-climactic conclusion, and returned to his swivel chair. "Everyone present right now will be expelled. I'm reporting all of you at the next board meeting."

"Wha—!?" Ryuji gasped.

"You can't make a decision like that...!" Mishima argued, stepping forward.

"Who would seriously consider what scum like you say? You threatened me too, Mishima, so you're just as responsible."

His face paled and was rendered to silence. He remained silent as the teacher berated him harshly.

"You act like you're a victim, but you leaked his criminal records, didn't you? It's all over the internet, right? How terrible," Kamoshida poked.

Mishima's face sank with shame as Akira turned to him, his glasses emphasizing the surprise in his eyes. His legs gave out under all the emotional stress and sank to the floor.

"He told me to do it. I had no choice…" he whispered. The two delinquents looked down at the fallen student as Kamoshida's crooked laughter echoed in the room.

Akira's glasses glared as he offered a hand to Mishima. He looked up in surprise, his eyes watering. Hesitantly, he took the boy's hand and was risen up to his feet. Akira said nothing as he looked over to Ruiji and gestured his head to the door. The blonde gritted his teeth in annoyance but nodded, the trio making their way out of the room.

The three stood silently outside of the door, Kamoshida's obnoxious laughter dying down. A long and suddered sigh escaped the dark haired boy. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked up. He then looked over at Mishima, who avoided looking at Akira in the eyes, and patted his shoulder.

"It's in the past. Don't stress," he said simply. "Besides… It was him that made you do it. It wasn't your fault."

Mishima's eyes glistened with a new set of tears, shocked that he was forgiven so easily without even having to apologize. Akira's hand slid off his shoulder and looked at Ryuji.

"After school… Same place."

Ryuji nodded, his heart sinking with every word his friend spilled. Akira nodded back before looking down at the ground. Without another word, he dismissed himself and walked down the hall. Neither of the boys had the heart to call out to their companion, a sorrowful aura surrounding him. It was best, they decided, to give him the small time of privacy he was able to get.

Due to the incident, the school was on a momentary break. It didn't surprise him to see the classroom completely empty. With heavy feet, he made his way over to his desk and plopped onto his chair. Overwhelming emotions took hold of him, large tears effortlessly falling him his eyes.

 _First, Ryuji… Now, Ann… Shiho… and Mishima… It's all my fault that they're where they are…_ Akira pursed his lips, suppressing a sob, as he removed his glasses and covered his leaking eyes with his right hand. _If only I wasn't such a fucking coward… If only I listened to Morgana…! We could have…_ _ **I**_ _could have… None of them would have been dragged down to my level. I really am the scum of the earth…!_

He gulped and took a shuddered breath, throwing his head back. _I should have said something… I had the power to prevent this, but I failed…_ _ **Failed**_ _._ _ **Failed!**_ _**FAILED!**_

He gritted his and slammed his forehead to the desk, the sound of their impact echoing within the empty room. As he sat there, motionless, his tensed muscles gradually began to relax. He knew better than to throw a tantrum like this. It wouldn't accomplish anything. He had just told Mishima that what's done in the past stays in the past. He can only change the future…

Akira sat up, pulled out his mother's handkerchief, and cleaned his face. Once he had recovered, he put his glasses back on.

"Morgana… I know you're there. I'm done now, so you can stop hiding," he called out, his voice steady. Sure enough, Morgana—who had been hiding in the shadows—walked over to the boy and sat beside his seat. "Sorry you had to see… such an uncool side of me. Ya mind keepin' it a secret?"

The feline didn't reply. He was still rather stunned by what he witnessed… but it made sense. He had, after all, been following Akira during the events that just transpired.

"...We can't waste anymore time," Akira began. "We'll enter the Metaverse and steal his desires."

"Can I assume that you've made up your minds about this—how he might suffer a mental shutdown?" Morgana asked. Akira said nothing at first before pushing up his glasses.

"It's only if we screw up, right? We'll just have to make sure we don't do that…" He looked over at the cat with a new look of determination swelling within his eyes. "Someone almost died because of him… It's safe to say that both Ryuji and I are ready."

"Then it's settled," Morgana purred, rather happy to have finally reached the ending he wanted.

"We'll meet up with Ryuji after school and come up with a plan."

The duo nodded. As soon as their conclusion ended, students and Ushimaru returned. Morgana promptly hopped up and stuffed his body inside Akira's desk, quickly taking a nap in the secure and warm space.

School proceeded as normal, a rather fidgety air filling each room inside. Some students were so shaken by the events, they managed to get by security and run off home. Sadly for them, extra homework awaited them tomorrow as punishment. Everything went by so fast, school was over before Akira could even render it. He packed his things, secretly hid Morgana inside his bag, and dashed off to the courtyard where they usually meet up. Akira was glad that it wasn't in the same area where Shiho jumped. He might end up having another scene.

Ryuji was already there, waiting for him. Akira pulled Morgana out and the three waited until the yard was fairly empty before catching up. Thankfully, Akira was at that point where he knew Ryuji well enough to make decisions on his behalf. He agreed to venture into the Metaverse—so long as Kamoshida confessed to what he'd done. And not just for Shiho… For everyone that had to endure whatever that bastard of a man did to them.

"Hey, quick question," Ryuji spoke up. "Is gettin' rid of a Palace hard? You've tried it before, right?"

"...When did I ever say that?" Morgana asked. The boys blinked in sync, taking a moment to render what the feline just responded.

"WHAT?! Were you just _pretendin'_ to know!?" Ryuji screamed. Akira massaged his temple, feeling almost faint.

"Is it true that you're getting expelled?"

The trio looked over in surprise, meeting with a mentally exhausted Ann. Her eyes locked with Akira, the concern in her voice aimed at him.

When they didn't reply, she grabbed her right arm and mumbled, "Everyone's talking about it..."

Ryuji clicked his tone, kicking the air. "That asshole's at it again… Did you come all this way to tell us that?"

Ann let go of her arm and looked down, thinking for a moment. When she looked at them, there was a fire of revenge dancing wildly in her eyes.

"If you're going to deal with Kamoshida… let me help too," Ann growled.

Ryuji and Morgana flinched in surprise, Akira's eyes narrowing. With no one stopping her, she continued.

"I can't just _sit_ back and do _nothing_ after what happened to Shiho!"

"No," Akira declined bluntly, readjusting his bag strap. Ann blinked in surprise, a little hurt. Noticing this, Akira sighed and walked up to her. "Takamaki-san, you're tired after everything that happened. You should go home and get some rest first."

"I'm not tired! I've never been more energized!" Takamaki snapped. Akira grabbed her shoulder and gently pushed her away.

"Go. Home," he growled. For a moment, her eyes glistened with tears, her lips parted as she drew a heartbroken breath. The person she trusted and spilled her heart to yesterday was stopping her… Stopping her from getting revenge on the only person she cares about in Shujin Academy. With a glare, she turned and ran off.

Once she was gone from sight, Akira sighed once again, running his fingers through his hair. He knew that he had hurt her and possibly her trust, but it was for own good… He turned and faced his comrades, who had two completely different expressions. Ryuji had a small smile, seemingly relieved that Akira took care of the matter. Morgana, on the other hand, seemed concerned for the girl.

"Good call, Aki," Ryuji praised. Akira flashed a sad smile, scratching the back of his head.

"I hope that she doesn't torment herself over this," Morgana whimpered. "When it comes down to it, women don't hesitate."

Noticing the stress and concern on the quiet boy's face, Ryuji nodded reassuringly, saying, "We just gotta hurry up and deal with Kamoshida."

Akira took a deep breath and nodded, a serious expression replaced with his anxious one. He scooped up Morgana and placed him in his bag, the duo making their way to the alleyway they had hid from before.

"We should leave our bags here," Akira suggested as he gently pulled Morgana out. "Too much of a hassle to carry it in that other world."

"Good idea," Ryuji agreed. Morgana sat and watched the two boys as they tried to find a good spot to hide their bags. Akira was surprisingly picky about it, much to Ryuji's annoyance.

"Just so you know, the moment we cross over, we'll treat each other like phantom thieves," the cat purred. As Akira slid their bags behind a stacked set of boxes, Ryuji turned with a raised brow.

"Phantom thieves?" he repeated.

"Those who covertly sneak in and stylishly steal Treasure—that is what we become!"

Akira hummed as he stood up as well, smirking, "Not bad."

Ryuji nodded and grinned with growing excitement. "That sounds kinda cool!"

The blonde and the cat both looked at Akira and nodded, ready to show Kamoshida what happens when he crosses them. Akira nodded back and pulled out his phone from his pocket, activating the Metaverse Navigator.

Just like last time, the world pulsated and shifted in color; blue fire engulfing the trio as they walked towards the school now turned castle. Perhaps it was because so many of them had changed appearances at once—in comparison to when Akira changed—were they able to notice. But before they could properly enjoy their confidence, a scream of surprise pierced the sky.

"What _is_ this!?"

The trio turned around and gasped as Ann ran towards them with a complex expression. Akira clicked his tongue and ruffled his hair in annoyance. He _really_ didn't need this.

"T-Takamaki!?" Ryuji called out. Ann gasped and looked at the duo.

"That voice… Sakamoto!? Then… are you Kurusu-kun!?"

Akira remained silent as their eyes locked, the pigtailed blonde faintly blushing. When Ryuji stepped forward, shocked sounds escaping him, the girl was break free from her trance and returned to a state of panic.

"Wh-Wh-Why are you here!?"

"How should I know?!" Ann pulled her hands close to her chest, nervously taking in the surroundings. "What's going on? Where are we…!? This used to be the school, right?!"

Ryuji walked up to the panicking girl and tried to calm her down, the two quickly butting heads to their usual arguments. Akira used this time to think, pulling out his phone.

"You think she got wrapped in because of the app?" he asked quietly to the cat beside him. Morgana, who had been staring lovestruck the moment he laid eyes on the girl, blinked. He thought for a moment, recalling the earlier encounter.

"That might be the case, yes," Morgana hummed. 'If multiple people can enter alongside the person who uses it, it stands to reason it'll pull anyone nearby with the same destination—or perhaps even the same motive."

Akira frowned putting together that she must have followed them after they dropped their guard. She still had her bag, so it wasn't like she planned to do that… just a spur of the moment after being rejected. He sighed and scratched his head. Looking over to the arguing blondes, he placed a hand on his hip.

"Hey," he called out, the two stopping instantly. "Get her out of here before she draws any more attention. Taking her back to where we came in should do the trick."

Ryuji blinked before nodding, grabbing the girl by the shoulders. She gasped and protested, quickly putting up a fight. Because of his bad leg, she was quickly gaining an upper hand… But the other two stepped in before that could happen.

"We'll explain once everythin's over!" Ryuji reassured. But that didn't calm Ann as she started protesting even more, kicking and shaking like a child. It was a bit painful to see her like this… The dark haired boy knew that she just simply wanted to help, after everything that happened. But he wanted to avoid dragging her down too.

"Sorry 'bout this…" he whispered, his sincere words catching the girl off guard. With that, the trio pushed her back, her body disappearing into the red and black vortex. Ryuji and Akira let out a long sigh.

"Sorry…" Akira mumbled. "I should have been more cautious about using the app…"

"Hey, don't beat yourself over it, man!" Ryuji quickly reassured, flashing a silly grin.

Morgana shook his head and clicked his tongue. "Amatuers. Why do _I_ —the one who simply watched—know more about your tools than you two?!"

"Shuddup!" Ryuji shot the cat a glare. Akira rubbed the back of his neck and started making his way to the infultation point. The duo followed, Ryuji mumbling to himself.

"That girl's name was Ann Takamaki, right?" Morgana suddenly asked. Akira looked over at him and blinked, nodding in reply. Morgana sighed, his tail curling. "Lady Ann…"

The boys fought back a laugh at their feline friend's behavior, finding the combo rather humours. Morgana, too smitten with his lady, didn't seem to notice.

As soon as they entered their safe room, they could tell that something was off. Akira sneaked over to the door and opened it just wide enough to see what was happening. Guards were swarming the floor, shouting orders to one another. He clicked his tongue and closed the door, looking back at his comrades.

"Seems like they noticed us. We'll have to be cautious," he warned. Morgana hopped with confidence, waving a paw.

"We'll be counting on you, Joker!" he said.

"Joker?" the boys repeated in sync.

"It's a code name. Only a stupid amature would use their real name in the face of danger! Who knows what kind of effect it could have on the Palace..."

Ryuji frowned for a moment, feeling the 'stupid amatuer' part being directed at him, before he tilted his head in confusion. "So… why's he Joker?"

"Because he's our trump card when it comes to fighting strength."

Akira blushed and covered his face with his hand, muttering, "Th-That's embarrassing… Can we change it?"

"Just go with it! You're Joker now, okay?" Morgana huffed. Akira whined, his blush spreading, before nodding reluctantly. Morgana looked at Ryuji and thought for a moment, the blonde failing to suppress a smile at the thought of his new and cool code name. "You'll be 'Thug'."

" _ **You pickin' a fight with me?**_ " Ryuji growled, digging a fist to the cat's cartoonish head. He pushed Morgana away with a huff and crossed his arms over his chest. "When it comes to me, it gotta be related to this mask… So 'Skull' should do the trick. It sounds pretty effin' awesome!"

Akira smiled at his friend's excitement, Morgana rolling his eyes. Akira looked down at the feline and gently caressed the area Ryuji dug.

"How does 'Mona' sound for your code name? It'd be much easier to call out during a battle," Akira suggested. Morgana purred at his gentle touch, shortly shaking away.

"If it's easier to call me that, so be it," Morgana cleared his throat. Having regained his composure, he nodded and placed his paws on his utility belt. "All right, from here on out, we are: Joker, Skull, and Mona. We need to be absolutely _thorough_ about using those code names from now on."

The duo nodded.

"Okay… With that settled, let's infiltrate further and steal his materialized desires. The Treasure."

Akira turned his attention back to the door and peeked through it once more. It looked like they were in the clear. Giving his comrades a thumbs up, the trio sneaked out the room and braced themselves for whatever they were going to encounter.


End file.
